Multi-shear thickening fluid enabled object movement control mechanism

ABSTRACT

A head unit device for controlling motion of an object includes shear thickening fluid (STF), an alternative STF (ASTF), and a chamber configured to contain a portion of the STF and the ASTF. The chamber further includes a piston compartment and an alternative reservoir. The head unit device further includes a reservoir injector configured within the chamber, and a piston housed at least partially radially within the piston compartment. The chamber further includes a set of fluid flow sensors and a set of fluid manipulation emitters to control the reservoir injector to adjust flow of the ASTF from the alternative reservoir to the piston compartment to cause selection of one of a variety of shear rates for a mixture of the STF and the STF within the piston compartment.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present U.S. Utility Patent application claims priority pursuant to35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/250,700,entitled “DILATANT FLUID BASED OBJECT MOVEMENT CONTROL MECHANISM” filedSep. 30, 2021, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety and made part of the present U.S. Utility Patent Applicationfor all purposes.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to systems that measure and controlmechanical movement and more particularly to sensing and controlling ofa linear and/or rotary movement mechanism that includes a chamber withdilatant fluid (e.g., a shear thickening fluid).

Description of Related Art

Many mechanical mechanisms are subject to undesired movement that canlead to annoying sounds, property damage and/or loss, and personalinjury and even death. Desired and undesired movements of the mechanicalmechanisms may involve a wide range of forces. A need exists to controlthe wide range of forces to solve these problems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1A is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a mechanicaland computing system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a graph of viscosity vs. shear rate for an aspect of anembodiment of a mechanical and computing system in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 1C is a graph of plunger velocity vs. force applied to the plungerfor an aspect of an embodiment of a mechanical and computing system inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a computingentity of a computing system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a computingdevice of a computing system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a computingdevice of a computing system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an environmentsensor module of a computing system in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIGS. 5A-5D are schematic block diagrams of another embodiment of amechanical and computing system illustrating an example of determiningoperational aspects in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 6A-6C are schematic block diagrams of another embodiment of amechanical and computing system illustrating an example of controllingoperational aspects in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 7A-7D are schematic block diagrams of another embodiment of amechanical and computing system illustrating another example ofdetermining operational aspects in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIGS. 8A-8C are schematic block diagrams of another embodiment of amechanical and computing system illustrating another example ofcontrolling operational aspects in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIGS. 9A-9C are schematic block diagrams of another embodiment of amechanical and computing system illustrating another example ofcontrolling operational aspects in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIGS. 10A-10C are schematic block diagrams of another embodiment of amechanical and computing system illustrating another example ofcontrolling operational aspects in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIGS. 11A-11B are schematic block diagrams of another embodiment of amechanical and computing system illustrating another example ofcontrolling operational aspects in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIGS. 12A-12B are schematic block diagrams of another embodiment of amechanical and computing system illustrating another example ofcontrolling operational aspects in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIGS. 13A-13B are schematic block diagrams of another embodiment of amechanical and computing system illustrating another example ofcontrolling operational aspects in accordance with the presentinvention; and

FIGS. 14A-14B are schematic block diagrams of an embodiment of amechanical system illustrating an example of controlling operationalaspects in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1A is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a mechanicaland computing system that includes a set of head units 10-1 through10-N, objects 12-1 through 12-3, computing entities 20-1 through 20-Nassociated with the head units 10-1 through 10-N, and a computing entity22. The objects include any object that has mass and moves. Examples ofan object include a door, an aircraft wing, a portion of a buildingsupport mechanism, and a particular drivetrain, etc.

The cross-sectional view of FIG. 1A illustrates a head unit thatincludes a chamber 16, a piston 36, a plunger 28, a plunger bushing 32,and a chamber bypass 40. The chamber 16 contains a shear thickeningfluid (STF) 42. The chamber 16 includes a back channel 24 and a frontchannel 26, where the piston partitions the back channel 24 and thefront channel 26. The piston 36 travels axially within the chamber 16.The chamber 16 may be a cylinder or any other shape that enablesmovement of the piston 36 and compression of the STF 42. The STF 42 isdiscussed in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 1B and 1C.

The plunger bushing 32 guides the plunger 28 into the chamber 16 inresponse to force from the object 12-1. The plunger bushing 32facilitates containment of the STF within the chamber 16. The plungerbushing 32 remains in a fixed position relative to the chamber 16 whenthe force from the object moves the piston 36 within the chamber 16. Inan embodiment the plunger bushing 32 includes an O-ring between theplunger bushing 32 and the chamber 16. In another embodiment the plungerbushing 32 includes an O-ring between the plunger bushing 32 and theplunger 28.

The piston 36 includes a piston bypass 38 between opposite sides of thepiston to facilitate flow of a portion the STF between the oppositesides of the piston (e.g., between the back channel 24 and the frontchannel 26) when the piston travels through the chamber in an inward oran outward direction.

Alternatively, or in addition to, the chamber bypass 40 is configuredbetween opposite ends of the chamber 16, wherein the chamber bypass 40facilitates flow of a portion of the STF between the opposite ends ofthe chamber when the piston travels through the chamber in the inward oroutward direction (e.g., between the back channel 24 and the frontchannel 26).

In alternative embodiments, the piston bypass 38 and the chamber bypass40 includes mechanisms to enable STF flow in one direction and not anopposite direction. In further alternative embodiments, a control valvewithin the piston bypass 38 and/or the chamber bypass 40 controls theSTF flow between the back channel 24 and the front channel 26.

The plunger 28 is operably coupled to a corresponding object by one of avariety of approaches. A first approach includes a direct connection ofthe plunger 28 to the object 12-1 such that linear motion in anydirection couples from the object 12-1 to the plunger 28. A secondapproach includes the plunger 28 coupled to a cap 44 which receives aone way force from a strike 48 attached to the object 12-2. A thirdapproach includes a pushcap 46 that receives a force from arotary-to-linear motion conversion component that is attached to theobject 12-3. In an example, the object 12-3 is connected to a camshaft110 which turns a cam 109 to strike the pushcap 46.

In an embodiment, two or more of the head units are coupled by a headunit connector 112. When so connected, actuation of a piston in a firsthead unit is essentially replicated in a piston of a second head unit.The head unit connector 112 includes a mechanical element betweenplungers of the two or more head units and/or direct connection of twoor more plungers to a common object. For example, plunger 28 of headunit 10-1 and plunger 28 of head unit 10-2 are directly connected toobject 12-1 when utilizing a direct connection.

Further associated with each head unit is a set of emitters and a set ofsensors. For example, head unit 10-N includes a set of emitters 114-N-1through 114-N-M and a set of sensors 116-N-1 through 116-N-M. Emittersincludes any type of energy and or field emitting device to affect theSTF, either directly or indirectly via other nanoparticles suspended inthe STF. Examples of emitter categories include light, audio, electricfield, magnetic field, wireless field, etc. Specific examples of fluidmanipulation emitters include a variable flow valve associated with abypass or injector or similar, a mechanical vibration generator, animage generator, a light emitter, an audio transducer, a speaker, anultrasonic sound transducer, an electric field generator, a magneticfield generator, and a radio frequency wireless field transmitter.Specific examples of magnetic field emitters include a Helmholtz coil, aMaxwell coil, a permanent magnet, a solenoid, a superconductingelectromagnet, and a radio frequency transmitting coil.

Sensors include any type of energy and/or field sensing device to outputa signal that represents a reaction, motion or position of the STF.Examples of sensor categories include bypass valve position, mechanicalposition, image, light, audio, electric field, magnetic field, wirelessfield, etc. Specific examples of fluid flow sensors include a valveopening detector associated with the chamber 16 or any type of bypass(e.g., piston bypass 38, chamber bypass 40, a reservoir injector, orsimilar), a mechanical position sensor, an image sensor, a light sensor,an audio sensor, a microphone, an ultrasonic sound sensor, an electricfield sensor, a magnetic field sensor, and a radio frequency wirelessfield sensor. Specific examples of magnetic field sensors include a Halleffect sensor, a magnetic coil, a rotating coil magnetometer, aninductive pickup coil, an optical magnetometry sensor, a nuclearmagnetic resonance sensor, and a caesium vapor magnetometer.

The computing entities 20-1 through 20-N are discussed in detail withreference to FIG. 2A. The computing entity 22 includes a control module30 and a chamber database 34 to facilitate storage of history ofoperation, desired operations, and other aspects of the system.

In an example of operation, the head unit 10-1 controls motion of theobject 12-1 and includes the chamber 16 filled at least in part with theshear thickening fluid 42, the piston 36 housed at least partiallyradially within the chamber 16, and the piston 36 is configured to exertpressure against the shear thickening fluid 42 in response to movementof the piston 36 from a force applied to the piston from the object12-1. The movement of the piston 36 includes one of traveling throughthe chamber 16 in an inward direction or traveling through the chamber16 in an outward direction. The STF is configured to have a decreasingviscosity in response to a first range of shear rates and an increasingviscosity in response to a second range of shear rates.

The shear thickening fluid 42 (e.g., dilatant non-Newtonian fluid) hasnanoparticles of a specific dimension that are mixed in a carrier fluidor solvent. Force applied to the shear thickening fluid 42 results inthese nanoparticles stacking up, thus stiffening and acting more like asolid than a flowable liquid when a shear threshold is reached. Inparticular, viscosity of the shear thickening fluid 42 risessignificantly when shear rate is increased to a point of the shearthreshold. The relationship between viscosity and shear rates isdiscussed in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B.

In another example of operation, the object 12-1 applies an inwardmotion force on the plunger 28 which moves the piston 36 in words withinthe chamber 16. As the piston moves inward, shear rate of the shearthickening fluid 42 changes. A sensor 116-1-1 associated with thechamber 16 of the head unit 10-1 outputs chamber I/O 160 to thecomputing entity 20-1, where the chamber I/O 160 includes a movementdata associated with the STF 42 as a result of the piston 36 movinginwards. Having received the chamber I/O 160, the computing entity 20-1interprets the chamber I/O 160 to reproduce the movement data.

The computing entity 20-1 outputs the movement data as a system message162 to the computing entity 22. The control module 30 stores themovement data in the chamber database 34 and interprets the movementdata to determine whether to dynamically adjust the viscosity of theshear thickening fluid. Dynamic adjustment of the viscosity results indynamic control of the movement of the piston 36, the plunger 28, andultimately the object 12-1. Adjustment of the viscosity affectsvelocity, acceleration, and position of the piston 36.

The control module 30 determines whether to adjust the viscosity basedon one or more desired controls of the object 12-1. The desired controlsinclude accelerating, deaccelerating, abruptly stopping, continuing on acurrent trajectory, continuing at a constant velocity, or any othermovement control. For example, the control module 30 determines toabruptly stop the movement of the object 12-1 when the object 12-1 is adoor and the door is detected to be closing at a rate above a maximumclosing rate threshold level and when the expected shear rate versusviscosity of the shear thickening fluid 42 requires modification (e.g.,boost the viscosity now to slow the door from closing too quickly).

When determining to modify the viscosity, the control module 30 outputsa system message 162 to the computing entity 20-1, where the systemmessage 162 includes instructions to immediately boost the viscositybeyond the expected shear rate versus viscosity of the shear thickeningfluid 42. Alternatively, the system message 162 includes specificinformation on the relationship of viscosity versus shear rate.

Having received the system message 162, the computing entity 20-1determines a set of adjustments to make with regards to the shearthickening fluid 42 within the chamber 16. The set of adjustmentsincludes one or more of adjusting STF 42 flow through the chamber bypass40, adjusting STF 42 flow through the piston bypass 38, and activatingan emitter of a set of emitters 114-1-1 through 114-N-1. The flowadjustments include regulating within a flow range, stopping, starting,and allowing in one particular direction. For example, the computingentity 20-1 determines to activate emitter 114-1-1 to produce a magneticfield such as to interact with magnetic nanoparticles within the STF 42to raise the viscosity. The computing entity 20-1 issues another chamberI/O 160 to the emitter 114-1-1 to initiate a magnetic influence processto boost the viscosity of the STF 42.

In an alternative embodiment, the computing entity 22 issues anothersystem message 162 to two or more computing entities (e.g., 20-1 and20-2) to boost the viscosity for corresponding head units 10-1 and 10-2when the head unit connector 112 connects head units 10-1 and 10-2 andboth head units are controlling the motion of the object 12-1. Forinstance, one of the head units informs the computing entity 22 that theobject 12-1 is moving too quickly inward and the predicted stoppingpower of the expected viscosity versus shear rate of the STF 42 of thehead unit, even when boosted, will not be enough to slow the object 12-1to a desired velocity or position. When informed that one head unit,even with a modified viscosity, is not enough to control the object12-1, the control module 30 determines how many other head units (e.g.,connected via the head unit connector 112) to apply and to dynamicallymodify the viscosity.

In yet another alternative embodiment, the computing entity 22 issues aseries of system messages 162 to a set of computing entities associatedwith a corresponding set of head units to produce a cascading effect ofaltering of the viscosity of the STF 42 of each of the chambers 16associated with the set of head units. For example, 3 head units arecontrolled by 3 corresponding computing entities to adjust viscosity ina time cascaded manner. For instance, head unit 10-1 abruptly changesthe viscosity to attempt to slow the object 12-1 followed seconds laterby head unit 10-2 abruptly changing the viscosity to attempt to furtherslow the object 12-1, followed seconds later by head unit 12-3 abruptlychanging the viscosity to attempt to further slow the object 12-1.

In a still further alternative embodiment, the computing entity 22conditionally issues each message of the series of system messages 162to the set of computing entities associated with the corresponding setof head units to produce the cascading effect of altering of theviscosity of the STF 42 of each of the chambers 16 associated with theset of head units only when a most recent adaptation of viscosity is notenough to slow the object 12-1 with desired results. For example, the 3head units are controlled by the 3 corresponding computing entities toadjust viscosity in a conditional time cascaded manner. For instance,head unit 10-1 abruptly changes the viscosity to attempt to slow theobject 12-1 followed seconds later by head unit 10-2 abruptly changingthe viscosity if head unit 10-1 was unsuccessful to attempt to furtherslow the object 12-1, followed seconds later by head unit 12-3 abruptlychanging the viscosity if head unit 10-2 was unsuccessful to attempt tofurther slow the object 12-1.

FIG. 1B is a graph of viscosity vs. shear rate for an aspect of anembodiment of a mechanical and computing system that includes a chamber,a shear thickening fluid, and a piston that moves through the chamberapplying forces on the shear thickening fluid. The shear thickeningfluid includes a non-Newtonian fluid since the relationship betweenshear rate and viscosity is nonlinear.

A relationship between compressive impulse (e.g., shear rate) and theviscosity of the shear thickening fluid is nonlinear and may compriseone or more inflection points as the piston travels within the chamberin response to different magnitudes of forces and differentaccelerations. The viscosity of the STF may also be a function of otherinfluences, such as electric fields, acoustical waves, magnetic fields,and other similar influences. As a first example of a response of ashear thickening fluid, a first range of shear rates in zone A has adecreasing viscosity as the shear rate increases and then in a secondrange of shear rates in zone B the viscosity increases abruptly. As asecond example of a response of a diluted shear thickening fluid, thefirst range of shear rates in zone A extends to a higher level of shearrates with the decreasing viscosity and then in the still higher secondrange of shear rates in zone B the viscosity increases abruptly similarto that of the shear thickening include.

The shear thickening fluid includes particles within a solvent. Examplesof particles of the shear thickening fluid include oxides, calciumcarbonate, synthetically occurring minerals, naturally occurringminerals, polymers, or a mixture thereof. Further examples of theparticles of the shear thickening fluid include SiO2, polystyrene, orpolymethylmethacrylate.

The particles are suspended in a solvent. Example components of thesolvent include water, a salt, a surfactant, and a polymer. Furtherexample components of the solvent include ethylene glycol, polyethyleneglycol, ethanol, silicon oils, phenyltrimethicone or a mixture thereof.Example particle diameters range from less than 100 μm to less than 1millimeter. In an instance, the shear thickening fluid is made of silicaparticles suspended in polyethylene glycol at a volume fraction ofapproximately 0.57 with the silica particles having an average particlediameter of approximately 446 nm. As a result, the shear thickeningfluid exhibits a shear thickening transition at a shear rate ofapproximately 102-103 s−1.

A volume fraction of particles dispersed within the solventdistinguishes the viscosity versus shear rate of different shearthickening fluids. The viscosity of the STF changes in response to theapplied shear stress. At rest and under weak applied shear stress, a STFmay have a fairly constant or even slightly decreasing viscosity becausethe random distribution of particles causes the particles to frequentlycollide. However, as a greater shear stress is applied so that the shearrate increases, the particles flow in a more streamlined manner.However, as an even greater shear stress is applied so that the shearrate increases further, a hydrodynamic coupling between the particlesmay overcome the interparticle forces responsible for Brownian motion.The particles may be driven closer together, and the microstructure ofthe colloidal dispersion may change, so that particles cluster togetherin hydroclusters.

The viscosity curve of the STF can be fine-tuned through changes in thecharacteristics of the particles suspended in the solvent. For example,the particles shape, surface chemistry, ionic strength, and size affectthe various interparticle forces involved, as does the properties of thesolvent. However, in general, hydrodynamic forces dominate at a highshear stress, which also makes the addition of a polymer attached to theparticle surface effective in limiting clumping in hydroclusters.Various factors influence this clumping behavior, including, fluid slip,adsorbed ions, surfactants, polymers, surface roughness, graft density(e.g., of a grafted polymer), molecular weight, and solvent, so that theonset of shear thickening can be modified. In general, the onset ofshear thickening can be slowed by the introduction of techniques toprevent the clumping of particles. For example, influencing the STF withemissions from an emitter in proximal location to the chamber.

FIG. 1C is a graph of piston velocity vs. force applied to the pistonfor an aspect of an embodiment of a mechanical and computing system thatincludes a chamber, a shear thickening fluid, and a piston that movesthrough the chamber applying forces on the shear thickening fluid. Theshear thickening fluid includes a non-Newtonian fluid since therelationship between shear rate and viscosity is nonlinear.

An example curve for a shear thickening fluid indicates that as moreforce is applied to the piston in zone A, a higher piston velocity isrealized until the corresponding transition to zone B occurs where theshear threshold affect takes hold and the viscosity abruptly increasessignificantly. When the viscosity increases abruptly, the pistonvelocity slows back down and may even stop.

Another example curve for a diluted shear thickening fluid indicatesthat as more force is applied to the piston in zone A, an even higherpiston velocity is realized until the corresponding transition to zone Boccurs where the shear threshold affect takes hold and the viscosityabruptly increases significantly. When the viscosity increases abruptly,the piston velocity slows back down and may even stop.

FIG. 2A is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the computingentity (e.g., 20-1 through 20-N; and 22) of the mechanical and computingsystem of FIG. 1 . The computing entity includes one or more computingdevices 100-1 through 100-N. A computing device is any electronic devicethat communicates data, processes data, represents data (e.g., userinterface) and/or stores data.

Computing devices include portable computing devices and fixed computingdevices. Examples of portable computing devices include an embeddedcontroller, a smart sensor, a social networking device, a gaming device,a smart phone, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a video gamecontroller, and/or any other portable device that includes a computingcore. Examples of fixed computing devices includes a personal computer,a computer server, a cable set-top box, a fixed display device, anappliance, and industrial controller, a video game counsel, a homeentertainment controller, a critical infrastructure controller, and/orany type of home, office or cloud computing equipment that includes acomputing core.

FIG. 2B is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a computingdevice (e.g., 100-1 through 100-N) of the computing entity of FIG. 2Athat includes one or more computing cores 52-1 through 52-N, a memorymodule 102, a human interface module 18, an environment sensor module14, and an input/output (I/O) module 104. In alternative embodiments,the human interface module 18, the environment sensor module 14, the I/Omodule 104, and the memory module 102 may be standalone (e.g., externalto the computing device). An embodiment of the computing device isdiscussed in greater detail with reference to FIG. 3 .

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of thecomputing device 100-1 of the mechanical and computing system of FIG. 1that includes the human interface module 18, the environment sensormodule 14, the computing core 52-1, the memory module 102, and the I/Omodule 104. The human interface module 18 includes one or more visualoutput devices 74 (e.g., video graphics display, 3-D viewer,touchscreen, LED, etc.), one or more visual input devices 80 (e.g., astill image camera, a video camera, a 3-D video camera, photocell,etc.), and one or more audio output devices 78 (e.g., speaker(s),headphone jack, a motor, etc.). The human interface module 18 furtherincludes one or more user input devices 76 (e.g., keypad, keyboard,touchscreen, voice to text, a push button, a microphone, a card reader,a door position switch, a biometric input device, etc.) and one or moremotion output devices 106 (e.g., servos, motors, lifts, pumps,actuators, anything to get real-world objects to move).

The computing core 52-1 includes a video graphics module 54, one or moreprocessing modules 50-1 through 50-N, a memory controller 56, one ormore main memories 58-1 through 58-N (e.g., RAM), one or moreinput/output (I/O) device interface modules 62, an input/output (I/O)controller 60, and a peripheral interface 64. A processing module is asdefined at the end of the detailed description.

The memory module 102 includes a memory interface module 70 and one ormore memory devices, including flash memory devices 92, hard drive (HD)memory 94, solid state (SS) memory 96, and cloud memory 98. The cloudmemory 98 includes an on-line storage system and an on-line backupsystem.

The I/O module 104 includes a network interface module 72, a peripheraldevice interface module 68, and a universal serial bus (USB) interfacemodule 66. Each of the I/O device interface module 62, the peripheralinterface 64, the memory interface module 70, the network interfacemodule 72, the peripheral device interface module 68, and the USBinterface modules 66 includes a combination of hardware (e.g.,connectors, wiring, etc.) and operational instructions stored on memory(e.g., driver software) that are executed by one or more of theprocessing modules 50-1 through 50-N and/or a processing circuit withinthe particular module.

The I/O module 104 further includes one or more wireless location modems84 (e.g., global positioning satellite (GPS), Wi-Fi, angle of arrival,time difference of arrival, signal strength, dedicated wirelesslocation, etc.) and one or more wireless communication modems 86 (e.g.,a cellular network transceiver, a wireless data network transceiver, aWi-Fi transceiver, a Bluetooth transceiver, a 315 MHz transceiver, a zigbee transceiver, a 60 GHz transceiver, etc.). The I/O module 104 furtherincludes a telco interface 108 (e.g., to interface to a public switchedtelephone network), a wired local area network (LAN) 88 (e.g., optical,electrical), and a wired wide area network (WAN) 90 (e.g., optical,electrical). The I/O module 104 further includes one or more peripheraldevices (e.g., peripheral devices 1-P) and one or more universal serialbus (USB) devices (USB devices 1-U). In other embodiments, the computingdevice 100-1 may include more or less devices and modules than shown inthis example embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the environmentsensor module 14 of the computing device of FIG. 2B that includes asensor interface module 120 to output environment sensor information 150based on information communicated with a set of sensors. The set ofsensors includes a visual sensor 122 (e.g., to the camera, 3-D camera,360° view camera, a camera array, an optical spectrometer, etc.) and anaudio sensor 124 (e.g., a microphone, a microphone array). The set ofsensors further includes a motion sensor 126 (e.g., a solid-state Gyro,a vibration detector, a laser motion detector) and a position sensor 128(e.g., a Hall effect sensor, an image detector, a GPS receiver, a radarsystem).

The set of sensors further includes a scanning sensor 130 (e.g., CATscan, Mill, x-ray, ultrasound, radio scatter, particle detector, lasermeasure, further radar) and a temperature sensor 132 (e.g., thermometer,thermal coupler). The set of sensors further includes a humidity sensor134 (resistance based, capacitance based) and an altitude sensor 136(e.g., pressure based, GPS-based, laser-based).

The set of sensors further includes a biosensor 138 (e.g., enzyme,microbial) and a chemical sensor 140 (e.g., mass spectrometer, gas,polymer). The set of sensors further includes a magnetic sensor 142(e.g., Hall effect, piezo electric, coil, magnetic tunnel junction) andany generic sensor 144 (e.g., including a hybrid combination of two ormore of the other sensors).

FIGS. 5A-5D are schematic block diagrams of another embodiment of amechanical and computing system illustrating an example of determiningoperational aspects. The mechanical and computing system includes thehead unit 10-1 of FIG. 1 , the object 12-1 of FIG. 1 , and the computingentity 20-1 of FIG. 1 .

In particular, the head unit 10-1 for controlling motion of the object12-1 includes a chamber 16 filled at least in part with a shearthickening fluid (STF) 42, where the STF includes a multitude ofmagnetic nanoparticles 170. The head unit 10-1 further includes a piston36 housed at least partially radially within the chamber 16. The piston36 is configured to exert pressure against the shear thickening fluid 42in response to movement of the piston 36 from a force applied to thepiston 36 from the object 12-1.

The movement of the piston 36 includes one of traveling through thechamber 16 in an inward direction or traveling through the chamber 16 inan outward direction. The STF is configured to have a decreasingviscosity in response to a first range of shear rates and an increasingviscosity in response to a second range of shear rates. The head unit10-1 further includes a set of magnetic field sensors 116-1-1 and116-1-2 positioned proximal to the chamber 16. For instance, themagnetic field sensors are implemented utilizing Hall effect sensors.

FIG. 5A illustrates an example of operation of a method for thedetermining the operational aspects. A first step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 interpreting magneticresponse 180-1-2 from the set of magnetic field sensors (e.g., inresponse to varying fields from the magnetic nanoparticles 170) toproduce a piston velocity and position. The set of magnetic fieldsensors are positioned proximal to the head unit 10-1 for controllingmotion of the object 12-1, where the head unit includes the chamberfilled at least in part with a shear thickening fluid (STF). The STFincludes a multitude of magnetic nanoparticles. The piston is housed atleast partially radially within the chamber and the piston configured toexert pressure against the shear thickening fluid in response tomovement of the piston from a force applied to the piston from theobject 12-1. The movement of the piston includes one of travelingthrough the chamber in an inward direction or traveling through thechamber in an outward direction. The STF is configured to have adecreasing viscosity in response to a first range of shear rates and anincreasing viscosity in response to a second range of shear rates.

As an example of interpreting the magnetic response 180-1-2, thecomputing entity 20-1 compares the magnetic response 180-1-2 to previousmeasurements of magnetic fields versus piston velocity and position toproduce the piston velocity 182 and piston position 184. As anotherexample of the interpreting the magnetic response 180-1-2, the computingentity 20-1 extracts the piston velocity 182 and the piston position 184directly from the magnetic response 180-1-2 when the sensor 116-1-2generates the velocity and piston position directly.

FIG. 5B further illustrates the example of operation of the method forthe determining the operational aspects. A second step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity interpreting magnetic response180-1-1 from the set of magnetic field sensors to produce updated pistonvelocity and position as previously discussed. For example, thecomputing entity interprets the magnetic response 180-1-1 to determinethe updated piston velocity 182 and piston position 184. For instance,the computing entity 20-1 determines that the position of the piston isfurther inward within the chamber 16 and moving inward with a highervelocity as compared to the previous interpretation step.

FIG. 5C further illustrates the example of operation of the method forthe determining the operational aspects. A third step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 determining a shear force186 based on the updated piston velocity 182 and piston position 184.For example, the computing entity 20-1 compares the updated velocity andposition to stored data for instantaneous velocity and position versusshear force for the STF 42. As another example, the computing entity20-1 receives the shear force 186 from at least one of the set ofsensors when at least one sensor provides the shear force 186 directly.

FIG. 5D further illustrates the example of operation of the method forthe determining the operational aspects. A fourth step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity determining whether a shearthreshold has been obtained based on the shear force 186. The shearthreshold is associated with the increasing viscosity in response to thesecond range of shear rates. For example, the computing entity 20-1compares the shear force 186 to data associated with the viscosityversus shear rate curve and indicates via a shear threshold indicator188 that the shear threshold has been obtained when the shear force 186compares favorably to the data associated with the viscosity versusshear rate curve for the shear threshold effect. As another example, thecomputing entity 20-1 interprets the piston velocity 182 over time toproduce acceleration and indicates the shear threshold via the shearthreshold indicator 188 when detecting a sudden deceleration.

The method described above in conjunction with a processing module ofany computing entity of the mechanical and computing system of FIG. 1can alternatively be performed by other modules of the system of FIG. 1or by other devices. In addition, at least one memory section that isnon-transitory (e.g., a non-transitory computer readable storage medium,a non-transitory computer readable memory organized into a first memoryelement, a second memory element, a third memory element, a fourthelement section, a fifth memory element, a sixth memory element, etc.)that stores operational instructions can, when executed by one or moreprocessing modules of the one or more computing entities of thecomputing system 10, cause one or more computing devices of themechanical and computing system of FIG. 1 to perform any or all of themethod steps described above.

FIGS. 6A-6C are schematic block diagrams of another embodiment of amechanical and computing system illustrating an example of controllingoperational aspects. The mechanical and computing system includes thehead unit 10-1 of FIG. 1 , the object 12-1 of FIG. 1 , and the computingentity 20-1 of FIG. 1 .

In particular, the head unit 10-1 for controlling motion of the object12-1 includes the chamber 16 filled at least in part with the shearthickening fluid (STF) 42, where the STF includes a multitude ofmagnetic nanoparticles 170. The piston is housed at least partiallyradially within the chamber 16. The piston 36 is configured to exertpressure against the shear thickening fluid in response to movement ofthe piston 36 from a force applied to the piston 36 via the plunger 28from the object 12-1.

The movement of the piston 36 includes one of traveling through thechamber 16 in an inward direction or traveling through the chamber 16 inan outward direction. The STF is configured to have a decreasingviscosity in response to a first range of shear rates and an increasingviscosity in response to a second range of shear rates.

The head unit 10-1 further includes a set of magnetic field sensorspositioned proximal to the chamber 16 and a set of magnetic fieldemitters positioned proximal to the chamber 16. The set of magneticfield sensors provide a magnetic response from the multitude of magneticnanoparticles. The set of magnetic field emitters provide a magneticactivation to the multitude of magnetic nanoparticles which in turnaffects the STF. For example, sensors 116-1-1 and 116-1-2 and emitters114-1-1 and 114-1-2, where the sensors and emitters sense and emitmagnetic waves respectively to interact with the magnetic nanoparticles170.

FIG. 6A illustrates an example of operation of a method for thecontrolling the operational aspects. A first step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 interpreting magneticresponse 180-1-1 and 180-1-2 from the set of magnetic field sensors(e.g., in response to varying fields from the magnetic nanoparticles170) to produce a piston velocity and piston position. The set ofmagnetic field sensors are positioned proximal to the head unit 10-1 forcontrolling motion of the object 12-1, where the head unit includes thechamber filled at least in part with a shear thickening fluid (STF).

The STF includes a multitude of magnetic nanoparticles. The piston ishoused at least partially radially within the chamber and the pistonconfigured to exert pressure against the shear thickening fluid inresponse to movement of the piston from a force applied to the pistonfrom the object 12-1. The movement of the piston includes one oftraveling through the chamber in an inward direction or travelingthrough the chamber in an outward direction. The STF is configured tohave a decreasing viscosity in response to a first range of shear ratesand an increasing viscosity in response to a second range of shearrates.

The interpreting the magnetic response from the set of magnetic fieldsensors to produce the piston velocity and the piston position of thepiston includes a series of sub-steps. A first sub-step includesinputting, from one or more magnetic field sensors of the set ofmagnetic field sensors, a set of magnetic field signals over a timerange. For example, the computing entity 20-1 inputs a magnetic fieldsignal from sensor 116-1-1 during a first timeframe of the time rangeand another magnetic field signal from sensor 116-1-2 during a secondtimeframe of the time range.

A second sub-step includes determining the magnetic response of the setof magnetic field sensors based on the set of magnetic field signals.For example, the computing entity 20-1 interprets the magnetic fieldsignals based on a type of magnetic sensor to produce magnetic responses180-1-1 and 180-1-2.

A third sub-step includes determining the piston velocity based on themagnetic response of the set of magnetic field sensors over the timerange. For example, the computing entity 20-1 calculates velocity basedon changes in the magnetic responses over the time range.

A fourth sub-step includes determining the piston position based on thepiston velocity and a real-time reference. For example, the computingentity 20-1 calculates the piston position based on time and the pistonvelocity as the piston moves through the chamber.

As another example of interpreting the magnetic response 180-1-2, thecomputing entity 20-1 compares the magnetic response 180-1-2 to previousmeasurements of magnetic fields versus piston velocity and pistonposition to produce the piston velocity 182 and piston position 184. Asa still further example of the interpreting the magnetic response180-1-2, the computing entity 20-1 extracts the piston velocity 182 andthe piston position 184 directly from the magnetic response 180-1-2 whenthe sensor 116-1-2 generates the piston velocity and piston positiondirectly.

A second step of the example of operation includes the computing entity20-1 determining a shear force 186 based on the piston velocity 182 andpiston position 184. The determining the shear force based on the pistonvelocity and the piston position includes one approach of a variety ofapproaches. A first approach includes extracting the shear forcedirectly from the magnetic response when one or more magnetic fieldsensors of the set of magnetic field sensors outputs a shear forceencoded signal. For example, the computing entity 20-1 extracts theshear force 186 directly from the magnetic responses 180-1-1 and180-1-2. In an instance, the shear force 186 reveals the piston velocityversus force applied to the piston curve as illustrated in FIG. 6A,where at a current time of interpreting the magnetic response, the forceand piston velocity are at a point X1.

A second approach includes determining the shear force utilizing thepiston velocity and stored data for piston velocity versus shear forcefor the STF. For example, the computing entity 20-1 compares thevelocity and position to stored data for instantaneous velocity andposition versus shear force for the STF 42.

A third approach includes determining the shear force utilizing thepiston position and stored data for piston position versus shear forcefor the STF within the chamber. For example, the computing entity 20-1compares the velocity and position to stored data for instantaneousvelocity and position versus shear force for the STF 42.

FIG. 6B further illustrates the example of operation of the method forthe controlling the operational aspects. A third step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 determining a desiredresponse 188 for the STF based on one or more of the shear force 186 andthe piston velocity 182 and the piston position 184. The desiredresponse 188 includes continuing to follow a nominal response curveassociated with the STF without modifying the functioning of the STF.The desired response 188 further includes modifying the function of theSTF to further slow down the object 12-1 or to allow the object 12-1 tospeed up at a velocity associated with the nominal response.

The determining the desired response for the STF based on one or more ofthe shear force, the piston velocity, and piston position includes oneor more approaches. A first approach includes interpreting a requestassociated with modifying one or more of object velocity and objectposition. For example, the computing entity 20-1 interprets a requestfrom another computing entity to update the desired response for the STFto increase viscosity to slow down the object 12-1.

A second approach includes interpreting guidance from a chamberdatabase. For example, the computing entity 20-1 interprets data fromthe chamber database 34 of FIG. 1A to identify an updated response forthe STF. For instance, the response for the STF is updated to decreaseviscosity when historical information in the chamber database 34indicates that a decrease in viscosity is desired based on a currentpiston position and current shear force.

A third approach includes establishing the desired response to includefacilitating the second range of shear rates to slow down the objectwhen detecting that the piston position is greater than a maximum pistonposition threshold level. A fourth approach includes establishing thedesired response to include facilitating the first range of shear ratesto speed up the object when detecting that the piston position is lessthan a minimum piston position threshold level.

A fifth approach includes establishing the desired response to includefacilitating the second range of shear rates to slow down the objectwhen detecting that the piston velocity is greater than a maximum pistonvelocity threshold level. A sixth approach includes establishing thedesired response to include facilitating the first range of shear ratesto speed up the object when detecting that the piston velocity is lessthan a minimum piston velocity threshold level.

A seventh approach includes establishing the desired response to includefacilitating the second range of shear rates to slow down the objectwhen detecting that the shear force is less than a minimum shear forcethreshold level. An eighth approach includes establishing the desiredresponse to include facilitating the first range of shear rates to speedup the object when detecting that the shear force is greater than amaximum shear force threshold level.

A ninth approach includes detecting an environmental conditionwarranting a change in viscosity of the STF. For example, the computingentity 20-1 determines to change the viscosity of the STF when atriggering of a vehicular airbag sensor is detected. As another example,the computing entity 20-1 determines to change the viscosity of the STFwhen detecting an earthquake. As yet another example, the computingentity 20-1 determines to change the viscosity of the STF when detectinga proximity warning (e.g., of a certain collision).

Having determined the desired response 188 for the STF, a fourth step ofthe example method of operation includes the computing entity 20-1generating a magnetic activation based on the desired response for theSTF, where the magnetic activation is output to the set of magneticfield emitters positioned proximal to the chamber 16. The generating themagnetic activation based on the desired response for the STF includesone or more approaches. A first approach includes determining magneticoutput values for the magnetic activation based on a difference betweenactual viscosity of the STF and a desired viscosity of the STF. Forexample, the computing entity 20-1 determines the magnetic activation toaffect the STF such that the viscosity is raised to lead to an abruptslow down of the piston through the STF.

A second approach includes determining the magnetic activation based onthe desired response for the STF and utilizing a magnetic activationtable for magnetic output values versus the desired viscosity of theSTF. For example, the computing entity 20-1 performs a lookup in amagnetic activation table for magnetic output values versus desiredviscosity increases.

A third approach includes receiving the magnetic activation from anothercomputing device. Having determined the magnetic activation, in a fourthapproach, the computing entity 20-1 outputs the magnetic activation tothe set of magnetic field emitters. For instance, the computing entity20-1 outputs the magnetic activation 181-1-1 and 181-1-2 to the emitters114-1-1 and 114-1-2 respectively to affect the viscosity of the STF 42.

FIG. 6C further illustrates the example of operation of the method forthe controlling the operational aspects where, having generated themagnetic activation, the computing entity 20-1 determines an error level190 from the desired response for the STF 42. For example, the computingentity 20-1 re-measures the magnetic response to determine one or moreof piston velocity 182, piston position 184, and shear force 186. Havingdetermined velocity and position, the computing entity 20-1 determinesactual response at a time X2 and compares the piston velocity versusforce applied to the piston to the desired response curve. The computingentity 20-1 determines the error level 190 based on the comparison.

Having determined the error level, a sixth step of the example ofoperation of the method for the controlling the operational aspectsincludes the computing entity 20-1 generating an updated magneticactivation based on the error level and the desired response. The errorlevel is at least one of substantially zero (e.g., the actual responseis on top of the desired response), a positive error level (e.g., whenthe actual response includes a piston velocity that is too high for theforce applied to the piston), and a negative error level (e.g., when theactual response includes a piston velocity that is too low for the forceapplied to the piston). In an example of generating the updated magneticactivation, the computing entity 20-1 determines that the error level190 is a positive error level, determines the updated magneticactivation to further increase the viscosity of the STF 42, and outputsmagnetic activation 181-1-1 and 181-1-2 to the emitters 114-1-1 and114-1-2 respectively to facilitate slowing down the piston velocity backto the desired response curve.

The method described above in conjunction with a processing module ofany computing entity of the mechanical and computing system of FIG. 1can alternatively be performed by other modules of the system of FIG. 1or by other devices. In addition, at least one memory section that isnon-transitory (e.g., a non-transitory computer readable storage medium,a non-transitory computer readable memory organized into a first memoryelement, a second memory element, a third memory element, a fourthelement section, a fifth memory element, a sixth memory element, etc.)that stores operational instructions can, when executed by one or moreprocessing modules of the one or more computing entities of thecomputing system 10, cause one or more computing devices of themechanical and computing system of FIG. 1 to perform any or all of themethod steps described above.

FIGS. 7A-7D are schematic block diagrams of another embodiment of amechanical and computing system illustrating another example ofdetermining operational aspects. The mechanical and computing systemincludes the head unit 10-1 of FIG. 1 , the object 12-1 of FIG. 1 , andthe computing entity 20-1 of FIG. 1 .

In particular, the head unit 10-1 for controlling motion of the object12-1 includes a chamber 16 filled at least in part with a shearthickening fluid (STF) 42, where the STF includes a multitude ofreflective nanoparticles 200. The head unit 10-1 further includes apiston 36 housed at least partially radially within the chamber 16. Thepiston 36 is configured to exert pressure against the shear thickeningfluid 42 in response to movement of the piston 36 from a force appliedto the piston 36 from the object 12-1.

The movement of the piston 36 includes one of traveling through thechamber 16 in an inward direction or traveling through the chamber 16 inan outward direction. The STF is configured to have a decreasingviscosity in response to a first range of shear rates and an increasingviscosity in response to a second range of shear rates. The head unit10-1 further includes a set of optical sensors 116-1-1 and 116-1-2positioned proximal to the chamber 16. For instance, the optical sensorsare implemented utilizing image sensors (e.g., cameras).

FIG. 7A illustrates an example of operation of a method for thedetermining the operational aspects. A first step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 interpreting an opticalresponse from the set of optical sensors (e.g., in response to varyinglight patterns from the reflective nanoparticles 200) to produce apiston velocity and position. The set of optical sensors are positionedproximal to the head unit 10-1 for controlling motion of the object12-1, where the head unit includes the chamber filled at least in partwith a shear thickening fluid (STF). The STF includes the multitude ofreflective nanoparticles. The piston is housed at least partiallyradially within the chamber and the piston configured to exert pressureagainst the shear thickening fluid in response to movement of the pistonfrom a force applied to the piston from the object 12-1. The movement ofthe piston includes one of traveling through the chamber in an inwarddirection or traveling through the chamber in an outward direction. TheSTF is configured to have a decreasing viscosity in response to a firstrange of shear rates and an increasing viscosity in response to a secondrange of shear rates.

As an example of interpreting the optical response, the computing entity20-1 compares the optical response 202-1-2 to previous measurements oflight fields versus piston velocity and position to produce the pistonvelocity 182 and piston position 184. As another example of theinterpreting the optical response 202-1-2, the computing entity 20-1extracts the piston velocity 182 and the piston position 184 directlyfrom the optical response 202-1-2 when the sensor 116-1-2 generates thevelocity and piston position directly.

FIG. 7B further illustrates the example of operation of the method forthe determining the operational aspects. A second step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 interpreting opticalresponse 202-1-1 from the set of optical sensors to produce updatedpiston velocity and position as previously discussed. For example, thecomputing entity 20-1 interprets the optical response 202-1-1 todetermine the updated piston velocity 182 and piston position 184. Forinstance, the computing entity 20-1 determines that the position of thepiston is further inward within the chamber 16 and moving inward with ahigher velocity as compared to the previous interpretation step.

FIG. 7C further illustrates the example of operation of the method forthe determining the operational aspects. A third step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 determining a shear force186 based on the updated piston velocity 182 and piston position 184.For example, the computing entity 20-1 compares the updated velocity andposition to stored data for instantaneous velocity and position versusshear force for the STF 42. As another example, the computing entity20-1 receives the shear force 186 from at least one of the set ofsensors when at least one sensor provides the shear force 186 directly.

FIG. 7D further illustrates the example of operation of the method forthe determining the operational aspects. A fourth step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity determining whether a shearthreshold has been obtained based on the shear force 186. The shearthreshold is associated with the increasing viscosity in response to thesecond range of shear rates. For example, the computing entity 20-1compares the shear force 186 to data associated with the viscosityversus shear rate curve and indicates via a shear threshold indicator188 that the shear threshold has been obtained when the shear force 186compares favorably to the data associated with the viscosity versusshear rate curve for the shear threshold effect. As another example, thecomputing entity 20-1 interprets the piston velocity 182 over time toproduce acceleration and indicates the shear threshold via the shearthreshold indicator 188 when detecting a sudden deceleration.

The method described above in conjunction with a processing module ofany computing entity of the mechanical and computing system of FIG. 1can alternatively be performed by other modules of the system of FIG. 1or by other devices. In addition, at least one memory section that isnon-transitory (e.g., a non-transitory computer readable storage medium,a non-transitory computer readable memory organized into a first memoryelement, a second memory element, a third memory element, a fourthelement section, a fifth memory element, a sixth memory element, etc.)that stores operational instructions can, when executed by one or moreprocessing modules of the one or more computing entities of thecomputing system cause one or more computing devices of the mechanicaland computing system of FIG. 1 to perform any or all of the method stepsdescribed above.

FIGS. 8A-8C are schematic block diagrams of another embodiment of amechanical and computing system illustrating another example ofcontrolling operational aspects. The mechanical and computing systemincludes the head unit 10-1 of FIG. 1 , the object 12-1 of FIG. 1 , andthe computing entity 20-1 of FIG. 1 .

In particular, the head unit 10-1 for controlling motion of the object12-1 includes the chamber 16 filled at least in part with the shearthickening fluid (STF) 42, where the STF includes a multitude ofpiezoelectric nanoparticles 210. The piston is housed at least partiallyradially within the chamber 16. The piston 36 is configured to exertpressure against the shear thickening fluid in response to movement ofthe piston 36 from a force applied to the piston 36 via the plunger 28from the object 12-1.

The movement of the piston 36 includes one of traveling through thechamber 16 in an inward direction or traveling through the chamber 16 inan outward direction. The STF is configured to have a decreasingviscosity in response to a first range of shear rates and an increasingviscosity in response to a second range of shear rates.

The head unit 10-1 further includes a set of electric field sensorspositioned proximal to the chamber 16 and a set of electric fieldemitters positioned proximal to the chamber 16. For example, sensors116-1-1 and 116-1-2 and emitters 114-1-1 and 114-1-2, where the sensorsand emitters sense and emit electric waves respectively to interact withthe piezoelectric nanoparticles 210.

FIG. 8A illustrates an example of operation of a method for thecontrolling the operational aspects. A first step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 interpreting electricresponse 212-1-1 and 212-1-2 from the set of piezoelectric nanoparticles210 (e.g., in response to varying fields from the piezoelectricnanoparticles 210) to produce a piston velocity and position. The set ofelectric field sensors are positioned proximal to the head unit 10-1 forcontrolling motion of the object 12-1, where the head unit includes thechamber filled at least in part with a shear thickening fluid (STF). TheSTF includes the multitude of piezoelectric nanoparticles 210. Thepiston is housed at least partially radially within the chamber and thepiston configured to exert pressure against the shear thickening fluidin response to movement of the piston from a force applied to the pistonfrom the object 12-1. The movement of the piston includes one oftraveling through the chamber in an inward direction or travelingthrough the chamber in an outward direction. The STF is configured tohave a decreasing viscosity in response to a first range of shear ratesand an increasing viscosity in response to a second range of shearrates.

As an example of interpreting the electric response 212-1-1 and 212-1-2,the computing entity 20-1 compares the electric response 212-1-1 and212-1-2 to previous measurements of electric fields versus pistonvelocity and position to produce the piston velocity 182 and pistonposition 184. As another example of the interpreting the electricresponse 212-1-1 and 212-1-2, the computing entity 20-1 extracts thepiston velocity 182 and the piston position 184 directly from theelectric response 212-1-1 and 212-1-2 when the sensors 116-1-1 and116-1-2 generate the velocity and piston position directly.

A second step of the example of operation includes the computing entity20-1 determining a shear force 186 based on the piston velocity 182 andpiston position 184. For example, the computing entity 20-1 compares thevelocity and position to stored data for instantaneous velocity andposition versus shear force for the STF 42. As another example, thecomputing entity 20-1 receives the shear force 186 from at least one ofthe set of sensors when at least one sensor provides the shear force 186directly. In an instance, the shear force 186 reveals the pistonvelocity versus force applied to the piston curve as illustrated in FIG.8A, where at a current time of interpreting the electric response, theforce and piston velocity are at a point X1.

FIG. 8B further illustrates the example of operation of the method forthe controlling the operational aspects. A third step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 determining a desiredresponse 188 for the STF based on one or more of the shear force 186 andthe piston velocity 182 and the piston position 184. The desiredresponse 188 includes continuing to follow a nominal response curveassociated with the STF without modifying the functioning of the STF.The desired response 188 further includes modifying the function of theSTF to further slow down the object 12-1 or to allow the object 12-1 tospeed up at a velocity associated with the nominal response.

The determining the desired response 188 includes one or more ofinterpreting a request, interpreting guidance from the chamber database34, detecting that the piston velocity is greater than a maximum pistonvelocity threshold level (e.g., too fast), detecting that the pistonvelocity is less than a minimum piston velocity threshold level (e.g.,too slow), and detecting an environmental condition warranting changingthe viscosity (e.g., a triggering of a vehicular airbag sensor,detection of an earthquake, a proximity warning, etc.). For instance,the computing entity 20-1 determines that the desired response 188 toslow down the object 12-1 is warranted based on reaching a maximumpiston velocity threshold level for object 12-1.

Having determined the desired response 188 for the STF, a fourth step ofthe example method of operation includes the computing entity 20-1generating an electric activation based on the desired response for theSTF, where the electric activation is output to a set of electric fieldemitters positioned proximal to the chamber 16. The generating of theelectric activation includes one or more of performing a lookup in anelectric activation table for electric field output values versusdesired viscosity increases, dynamically calculating the electric fieldoutput values based on a gap in viscosity levels, and receiving theelectric activation from another computing entity. For example, thecomputing entity 20-1 determines the electric activation to affect theSTF such that the viscosity is raised to lead to an abrupt slow down ofthe piston through the STF. Having determined the electric activation,the computing entity 20-1 outputs electric activation 214-1-1 and214-1-2 to the emitters 114-1-1 and 114-1-2 respectively to affect theviscosity of the STF 42.

FIG. 8C further illustrates the example of operation of the method forthe controlling the operational aspects where, having generated theelectric activation, the computing entity 20-1 determines an error level190 from the desired response for the STF 42. For example, the computingentity 20-1 re-measures the electric response to determine one or moreof piston velocity 182, piston position 184, and shear force 186. Havingdetermined velocity and position, the computing entity 20-1 determinesactual response at a time X2 and compares the piston velocity versusforce applied to the piston to the desired response curve. The computingentity 20-1 determines the error level 190 based on the comparison.

Having determined the error level, a sixth step of the example ofoperation of the method for the controlling the operational aspectsincludes the computing entity 20-1 generating an updated electricactivation based on the error level and the desired response. The errorlevel is at least one of substantially zero (e.g., the actual responseis on top of the desired response), a positive error level (e.g., whenthe actual response includes a piston velocity that is too high for theforce applied to the piston), and a negative error level (e.g., when theactual response includes a piston velocity that is too low for the forceapplied to the piston). In an example of generating the updated electricactivation, the computing entity 20-1 determines that the error level190 is a positive error level, determines the updated electricactivation to further increase the viscosity of the STF 42, and outputselectric activation 214-1-1 and 214-1-2 to the emitters 114-1-1 and114-1-2 respectively to facilitate slowing down the piston velocity backto the desired response curve.

The method described above in conjunction with a processing module ofany computing entity of the mechanical and computing system of FIG. 1can alternatively be performed by other modules of the system of FIG. 1or by other devices. In addition, at least one memory section that isnon-transitory (e.g., a non-transitory computer readable storage medium,a non-transitory computer readable memory organized into a first memoryelement, a second memory element, a third memory element, a fourthelement section, a fifth memory element, a sixth memory element, etc.)that stores operational instructions can, when executed by one or moreprocessing modules of the one or more computing entities of thecomputing system 10, cause one or more computing devices of themechanical and computing system of FIG. 1 to perform any or all of themethod steps described above.

FIGS. 9A-9C are schematic block diagrams of another embodiment of amechanical and computing system illustrating another example ofcontrolling operational aspects. The mechanical and computing systemincludes the head unit 10-1 of FIG. 1 , the object 12-1 of FIG. 1 , andthe computing entity 20-1 of FIG. 1 .

In particular, the head unit 10-1 for controlling motion of the object12-1 includes the chamber 16 filled at least in part with the shearthickening fluid (STF) 42. The piston is housed at least partiallyradially within the chamber 16. The piston 36 is configured to exertpressure against the shear thickening fluid in response to movement ofthe piston 36 from a force applied to the piston 36 via the plunger 28from the object 12-1.

The movement of the piston 36 includes one of traveling through thechamber 16 in an inward direction or traveling through the chamber 16 inan outward direction. The STF is configured to have a decreasingviscosity in response to a first range of shear rates and an increasingviscosity in response to a second range of shear rates.

The head unit 10-1 further includes a set of audio sensors positionedproximal to the chamber 16 and a set of audio emitters positionedproximal to the chamber 16. For example, sensors 116-1-1 and 116-1-2 andemitters 114-1-1 and 114-1-2, where the sensors and emitters sense andemit acoustic waves respectively to interact with the STF 42. Forinstance, sensor 116-1-1 is implemented utilizing a microphone andemitter 114-1-1 is implemented utilizing an ultrasonic transducer.

FIG. 9A illustrates an example of operation of a method for thecontrolling the operational aspects. A first step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 interpreting audioresponses 222-1-1 and 222-1-2 from the STF 42 (e.g., in response tovarying acoustic responsiveness of the particles of the STF) to producea piston velocity and position. The set of audio sensors are positionedproximal to the head unit 10-1 for controlling motion of the object12-1, where the head unit includes the chamber filled at least in partwith a shear thickening fluid (STF). In another embodiment, the STF ismixed with acoustic nanoparticles to enhance the transmission ofacoustic waves through the STF. The piston is housed at least partiallyradially within the chamber and the piston configured to exert pressureagainst the shear thickening fluid in response to movement of the pistonfrom a force applied to the piston from the object 12-1. The movement ofthe piston includes one of traveling through the chamber in an inwarddirection or traveling through the chamber in an outward direction. TheSTF is configured to have a decreasing viscosity in response to a firstrange of shear rates and an increasing viscosity in response to a secondrange of shear rates.

As an example of interpreting the audio response 222-1-1 and 222-1-2,the computing entity 20-1 compares the audio response 222-1-1 and222-1-2 to previous measurements of audio waves versus piston velocityand position to produce the piston velocity 182 and piston position 184.As another example of the interpreting the audio response 222-1-1 and222-1-2, the computing entity 20-1 extracts the piston velocity 182 andthe piston position 184 directly from the audio response 222-1-1 and222-1-2 when the sensors 116-1-1 and 116-1-2 generate the velocity andpiston position directly.

A second step of the example of operation includes the computing entity20-1 determining a shear force 186 based on the piston velocity 182 andpiston position 184. For example, the computing entity 20-1 compares thevelocity and position to stored data for instantaneous velocity andposition versus shear force for the STF 42. As another example, thecomputing entity 20-1 receives the shear force 186 from at least one ofthe set of sensors when at least one sensor provides the shear force 186directly. In an instance, the shear force 186 reveals the pistonvelocity versus force applied to the piston curve as illustrated in FIG.9A, where at a current time of interpreting the audio response, theforce and piston velocity are at a point X1.

FIG. 9B further illustrates the example of operation of the method forthe controlling the operational aspects. A third step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 determining a desiredresponse 188 for the STF based on one or more of the shear force 186 andthe piston velocity 182 and the piston position 184. The desiredresponse 188 includes continuing to follow a nominal response curveassociated with the STF without modifying the functioning of the STF.The desired response 188 further includes modifying the function of theSTF to further slow down the object 12-1 or to allow the object 12-1 tospeed up at a velocity associated with the nominal response.

The determining the desired response 188 includes one or more ofinterpreting a request, interpreting guidance from the chamber database34, detecting that the piston velocity is greater than a maximum pistonvelocity threshold level (e.g., too fast), detecting that the pistonvelocity is less than a minimum piston velocity threshold level (e.g.,too slow), and detecting an environmental condition warranting changingthe viscosity (e.g., a triggering of a vehicular airbag sensor,detection of an earthquake, a proximity warning, etc.). For instance,the computing entity 20-1 determines that the desired response 188 toslow down the object 12-1 is warranted based on reaching a maximumpiston velocity threshold level for object 12-1.

Having determined the desired response 188 for the STF, a fourth step ofthe example method of operation includes the computing entity 20-1generating an audio activation based on the desired response for theSTF, where the audio activation is output to the set of audio emitterspositioned proximal to the chamber 16. The generating of the audioactivation includes one or more of performing a lookup in an audioactivation table for audio wave output values versus desired viscosityincreases, dynamically calculating the audio wave output values based ona gap in viscosity levels, and receiving the audio activation fromanother computing entity. For example, the computing entity 20-1determines the audio activation to affect the STF such that theviscosity is raised to lead to an abrupt slow down of the piston throughthe STF. Having determined the audio activation, the computing entity20-1 outputs audio activation 224-1-1 and 224-1-2 to the emitters114-1-1 and 114-1-2 respectively to affect the viscosity of the STF 42.

FIG. 9C further illustrates the example of operation of the method forthe controlling the operational aspects where, having generated theaudio activation, the computing entity 20-1 determines an error level190 from the desired response for the STF 42. For example, the computingentity 20-1 re-measures the audio response to determine one or more ofpiston velocity 182, piston position 184, and shear force 186. Havingdetermined velocity and position, the computing entity 20-1 determinesactual response at a time X2 and compares the piston velocity versusforce applied to the piston to the desired response curve. The computingentity 20-1 determines the error level 190 based on the comparison.

Having determined the error level, a sixth step of the example ofoperation of the method for the controlling the operational aspectsincludes the computing entity 20-1 generating an updated audioactivation based on the error level and the desired response. The errorlevel is at least one of substantially zero (e.g., the actual responseis on top of the desired response), a positive error level (e.g., whenthe actual response includes a piston velocity that is too high for theforce applied to the piston), and a negative error level (e.g., when theactual response includes a piston velocity that is too low for the forceapplied to the piston). In an example of generating the updated audioactivation, the computing entity 20-1 determines that the error level190 is a positive error level, determines the updated audio activationto further increase the viscosity of the STF 42, and outputs audioactivation 224-1-1 and 224-1-2 to the emitters 114-1-1 and 114-1-2respectively to facilitate slowing down the piston velocity back to thedesired response curve.

The method described above in conjunction with a processing module ofany computing entity of the mechanical and computing system of FIG. 1can alternatively be performed by other modules of the system of FIG. 1or by other devices. In addition, at least one memory section that isnon-transitory (e.g., a non-transitory computer readable storage medium,a non-transitory computer readable memory organized into a first memoryelement, a second memory element, a third memory element, a fourthelement section, a fifth memory element, a sixth memory element, etc.)that stores operational instructions can, when executed by one or moreprocessing modules of the one or more computing entities of thecomputing system 10, cause one or more computing devices of themechanical and computing system of FIG. 1 to perform any or all of themethod steps described above.

FIGS. 10A-10C are schematic block diagrams of another embodiment of amechanical and computing system illustrating another example ofcontrolling operational aspects. The mechanical and computing systemincludes the head unit 10-1 of FIG. 1 , the object 12-1 of FIG. 1 , andthe computing entity 20-1 of FIG. 1 .

In particular, the head unit 10-1 for controlling motion of the object12-1 includes the chamber 16 filled at least in part with the shearthickening fluid (STF) 42. The piston is housed at least partiallyradially within the chamber 16. The piston 36 is configured to exertpressure against the shear thickening fluid in response to movement ofthe piston 36 from a force applied to the piston 36 via the plunger 28from the object 12-1.

The movement of the piston 36 includes one of traveling through thechamber 16 in an inward direction or traveling through the chamber 16 inan outward direction. The STF is configured to have a decreasingviscosity in response to a first range of shear rates and an increasingviscosity in response to a second range of shear rates.

The head unit 10-1 further includes a set of fluid flow sensors (e.g.,any type) positioned proximal to the chamber 16 and a set of fluidmanipulation emitters (e.g., any type) positioned proximal to thechamber 16. For example, sensors 116-1-1 and 116-1-2 and emitters114-1-1 and 114-1-2, where the sensors and emitters sense and emitenergy respectively to interact with the STF 42.

FIG. 10A illustrates an example of operation of a method for thecontrolling the operational aspects. A first step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 interpreting fluidresponses 232-1-1 and 232-1-2 from the STF 42 (e.g., in response tovarying responsiveness of the particles of the STF) to produce a pistonvelocity and position. The set of fluid flow sensors are positionedproximal to the head unit 10-1 for controlling motion of the object12-1, where the head unit includes the chamber filled at least in partwith the shear thickening fluid (STF) 42. In another embodiment, the STFis mixed with nanoparticles to enhance the transmission of energythrough the STF. The piston is housed at least partially radially withinthe chamber and the piston configured to exert pressure against theshear thickening fluid in response to movement of the piston from aforce applied to the piston from the object 12-1. The movement of thepiston includes one of traveling through the chamber in an inwarddirection or traveling through the chamber in an outward direction. TheSTF is configured to have a decreasing viscosity in response to a firstrange of shear rates and an increasing viscosity in response to a secondrange of shear rates.

As an example of interpreting the fluid response 232-1-1 and 232-1-2,the computing entity 20-1 compares the fluid response 232-1-1 and232-1-2 to previous measurements of fluid responses versus pistonvelocity and position to produce the piston velocity 182 and pistonposition 184. As another example of the interpreting the fluid response232-1-1 and 232-1-2, the computing entity 20-1 extracts the pistonvelocity 182 and the piston position 184 directly from the fluidresponse 232-1-1 and/or 232-1-2 when the sensors 116-1-1 and 116-1-2generate the velocity and piston position directly.

A second step of the example of operation includes the computing entity20-1 determining a shear force 186 based on the piston velocity 182 andpiston position 184. For example, the computing entity 20-1 compares thevelocity and position to stored data for instantaneous velocity andposition versus shear force for the STF 42. As another example, thecomputing entity 20-1 receives the shear force 186 from at least one ofthe set of sensors when at least one sensor provides the shear force 186directly. In an instance, the shear force 186 reveals the pistonvelocity versus force applied to the piston curve as illustrated in FIG.10A, where at a current time of interpreting the audio response, theforce and piston velocity are at a point Y1. That curve furtherillustrates nominal responses for both positive and negative velocitiescorresponding to inward and outward movement of the piston.

FIG. 10B further illustrates the example of operation of the method forthe controlling the operational aspects. A third step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 determining a desiredresponse 188 for the STF based on one or more of the shear force 186 andthe piston velocity 182 and the piston position 184. The desiredresponse 188 includes continuing to follow a nominal response curveassociated with the STF without modifying the functioning of the STF.The desired response 188 further includes modifying the function of theSTF to further slow down the object 12-1 or to allow the object 12-1 tospeed up at a velocity associated with the nominal response.

The determining the desired response 188 includes one or more ofinterpreting a request, interpreting guidance from the chamber database34, detecting that the piston velocity is greater than a maximum pistonvelocity threshold level (e.g., too fast), detecting that the pistonvelocity is less than a minimum piston velocity threshold level (e.g.,too slow), and detecting an environmental condition warranting changingthe viscosity (e.g., a triggering of a vehicular airbag sensor,detection of an earthquake, a proximity warning, etc.). For instance,the computing entity 20-1 determines that the desired response 188 toslow down the object 12-1 is warranted based on reaching a maximumpiston velocity threshold level for object 12-1.

Having determined the desired response 188 for the STF, a fourth step ofthe example method of operation includes the computing entity 20-1generating a fluid activation based on the desired response for the STF,where the fluid activation is output to the set of fluid manipulationemitters positioned proximal to the chamber 16. The generating of thefluid activation includes one or more of performing a lookup in a fluidactivation table for fluid activation output values versus desiredviscosity increases, dynamically calculating the fluid activation outputvalues based on a gap in viscosity levels, and receiving the fluidactivation from another computing entity. For example, the computingentity 20-1 determines the fluid activation to affect the STF such thatthe viscosity is raised to lead to an abrupt slow down of the pistonthrough the STF as the actual response moves from a position at a timeassociated with Y1 to another position at another time associated withY2. Having determined the fluid activation, the computing entity 20-1outputs fluid activation 234-1-1 and 234-1-2 to the emitters 114-1-1 and114-1-2 respectively to affect the viscosity of the STF 42.

FIG. 10C further illustrates the example of operation of the method forthe controlling the operational aspects where, having generated thefluid activation, the computing entity 20-1 detects an oscillationassociated with the object 12-1 and piston 36. For example, thecomputing entity 20-1 re-measures the fluid response to determine one ormore of piston velocity 182, piston position 184, and shear force 186.Having determined velocity and position, the computing entity determinesactual response at a time Y2 going to Y3 and compares the pistonvelocity versus force applied to the piston to the desired responsecurve. The computing entity 20-1 indicates the acylation when thevelocity changes between positive and negative for several cycles.

Having detected the oscillation, a sixth step of the example ofoperation of the method for the controlling the operational aspectsincludes the computing entity 20-1 generating an updated fluidactivation based on the detected oscillation. The oscillation has anassociated frequency and magnitude pattern. In an example of generatingthe updated fluid activation, the computing entity 20-1 determines thatand updated desired response should include a dampened oscillation tolead the piston and object 12-12 lower magnitudes of the oscillation.The computing entity 20-1 outputs the fluid activation 234-1-1 and234-1-2 to the emitters 114-1-1 and 114-1-2 respectively to facilitateslowing down the oscillation to that of the updated desired response.

The method described above in conjunction with a processing module ofany computing entity of the mechanical and computing system of FIG. 1can alternatively be performed by other modules of the system of FIG. 1or by other devices. In addition, at least one memory section that isnon-transitory (e.g., a non-transitory computer readable storage medium,a non-transitory computer readable memory organized into a first memoryelement, a second memory element, a third memory element, a fourthelement section, a fifth memory element, a sixth memory element, etc.)that stores operational instructions can, when executed by one or moreprocessing modules of the one or more computing entities of thecomputing system cause one or more computing devices of the mechanicaland computing system of FIG. 1 to perform any or all of the method stepsdescribed above.

FIGS. 11A-11B are schematic block diagrams of another embodiment of amechanical and computing system illustrating another example ofcontrolling operational aspects.

The mechanical and computing system includes the head unit 10-1 of FIG.1 , the object 12-1 of FIG. 1 , and the computing entity 20-1 of FIG. 1.

In particular, the head unit 10-1 for controlling motion of the object12-1 includes shear thickening fluid (STF) 42. The STF 42 is configuredto have a decreasing viscosity in response to a first range of shearrates and an increasing viscosity in response to a second range of shearrates. The second range of shear rates are greater than the first rangeof shear rates.

The head unit 10-1 further includes a chamber 16, the chamber configuredto contain a portion of the STF. The chamber includes a pistoncompartment 23 and an auxiliary compartment 241.

The head unit 10-1 further includes an auxiliary bypass 244 configuredwithin the chamber 16. The auxiliary bypass 244 couples the pistoncompartment 23 and the auxiliary compartment 241 controlling flow of theSTF 42 between the piston compartment and the auxiliary compartment.

The head unit 10-1 further includes a piston 36 housed at leastpartially radially within the piston compartment 23 of the chamber 16.The piston is configured to exert pressure against the shear thickeningfluid in response to movement of the piston from a force applied to thepiston from the object 12-1. The movement of the piston includes one oftraveling through the piston compartment of the chamber in an inwarddirection (e.g., towards a back channel partition 242 separating thepiston compartment 23 from the auxiliary compartment 241) or travelingthrough the piston compartment of the chamber in an outward direction(e.g., towards a plunger bushing 32).

The head unit 10-1 further includes a set of fluid flow sensors 116-1-1and 116-1-2 positioned proximal to the chamber. The set of fluid flowsensors provide a fluid response 232-1-1 and 232-1-2 from the STF.

The head unit 10-1 further includes a set of fluid manipulation emitters114-1-1 and 114-1-2 positioned proximal to the chamber. The set of fluidmanipulation emitters provide a fluid activation to the STF such thatone of the first range of shear rates or the second range of shear ratesis selected for the STF within the piston compartment. The fluidactivation further includes controlling the auxiliary bypass 244.

FIG. 11A illustrates an example of operation of a method for thecontrolling the operational aspects. A first step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 interpreting a fluidresponse from the set of fluid flow sensors to produce a piston velocityand a piston position of the piston associated with the head unitdevice. For example, the computing entity 20-1 interprets fluidresponses 232-1-1 and 232-1-2 from the STF 42 (e.g., in response tovarying responsiveness of the particles of the STF) to produce thepiston velocity and the piston position.

The interpreting the fluid flow response from the set of fluid flowsensors to produce the piston velocity and the piston position of thepiston includes a series of sub-steps. A first sub-step includesinputting, from one or more fluid flow sensors of the set of fluid flowsensors, a set of fluid flow signals over a time range. For example, thecomputing entity 20-1 receives fluid responses 232-1-1 and 232-1-2 overthe time range, where the fluid responses include the fluid flowsignals.

A second sub-step includes determining the fluid flow response of theset of fluid flow sensors based on the set of fluid flow signals. Forexample, the computing entity 20-1 interprets the fluid flow signals toproduce the fluid flow response.

A third sub-step includes determining the piston velocity based on thefluid flow response of the set of fluid flow sensors over the timerange. For example, the computing entity 20-1 calculates piston velocitybased on changes in the fluid flow response over the time range.

A fourth sub-step includes determining the piston position based on thepiston velocity and a real-time reference. For example, the computingentity 20-1 calculates the piston position based on time in the pistonvelocity as the piston moves through the chamber.

As yet another example of interpreting the fluid response 232-1-1 and232-1-2, the computing entity 20-1 compares the fluid response 232-1-1and 232-1-2 to previous measurements of fluid flow versus pistonvelocity and piston position to produce the piston velocity 182 andpiston position 184. As a still further example of the interpreting thefluid response 232-1-1 and 232-1-2, the computing entity 20-1 extractsthe piston velocity 182 and the piston position 184 directly from thefluid response 232-1-1 and/or 232-1-2 when the sensors 116-1-1 and116-1-2 generate the piston velocity and piston position directly.

A second step of the example of operation includes the computing entity20-1 determining a shear force 186 based on the piston velocity 182 andthe piston position 184. The determining the shear force based on thepiston velocity and the piston position includes one approach of avariety of approaches. A first approach includes extracting the shearforce directly from the fluid flow response when one or more fluid flowsensors of the set of fluid flow sensors outputs a shear force encodedsignal. For example, the computing entity 20-1 extracts the shear force186 directly from the fluid responses 232-1-1 and 232-1-2. In aninstance, the shear force 186 reveals the piston velocity versus forceapplied to the piston curve as illustrated in FIG. 11A, where at acurrent time of interpreting the fluid flow response, the force andpiston velocity are at a point X1.

A second approach includes determining the shear force utilizing thepiston velocity and stored data for piston velocity versus shear forcefor the STF. For example, the computing entity 20-1 compares thevelocity and position to stored data for instantaneous velocity andposition versus shear force for the STF 42.

A third approach includes determining the shear force utilizing thepiston position and stored data for piston position and an auxiliarybypass status 246 versus shear force for the STF within the chamber. Forexample, the computing entity 20-1 compares the velocity and position tostored data for instantaneous velocity and position versus shear forcefor the STF 42 based on an actual valve opening status of the auxiliarybypass 244.

FIG. 11B further illustrates the example of operation of the method forthe controlling the operational aspects. A third step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 determining a desiredresponse 188 for the STF based on one or more of the shear force 186 andthe piston velocity 182 and the piston position 184. The desiredresponse 188 includes continuing to follow a nominal response curveassociated with the STF without modifying the functioning of the STF.The desired response 188 further includes modifying the function of theSTF to further slow down the object 12-1 or to allow the object 12-1 tospeed up at a velocity associated with the nominal response.

The determining the desired response for the STF based on one or more ofthe shear force, the piston velocity, and piston position includes oneor more approaches. A first approach includes interpreting a requestassociated with modifying one or more of object velocity and objectposition. For example, the computing entity 20-1 interprets a requestfrom another computing entity to update the desired response for the STFto decrease viscosity to speed up the object 12-1.

A second approach includes interpreting guidance from a chamberdatabase. For example, the computing entity 20-1 interprets data fromthe chamber database 34 of FIG. 1A to identify a response for the STF.For instance, the response for the STF is updated to decrease viscositywhen historical information in the chamber database 34 indicates that adecrease in viscosity is desired based on a current piston position andcurrent shear force.

A third approach includes establishing the desired response to includefacilitating the second range of shear rates to slow down the objectwhen detecting that the piston position is greater than a maximum pistonposition threshold level. A fourth approach includes establishing thedesired response to include facilitating the first range of shear ratesto speed up the object when detecting that the piston position is lessthan a minimum piston position threshold level.

A fifth approach includes establishing the desired response to includefacilitating the second range of shear rates to slow down the objectwhen detecting that the piston velocity is greater than a maximum pistonvelocity threshold level. A sixth approach includes establishing thedesired response to include facilitating the first range of shear ratesto speed up the object when detecting that the piston velocity is lessthan a minimum piston velocity threshold level.

A seventh approach includes establishing the desired response to includefacilitating the second range of shear rates to slow down the objectwhen detecting that the shear force is less than a minimum shear forcethreshold level. An eighth approach includes establishing the desiredresponse to include facilitating the first range of shear rates to speedup the object when detecting that the shear force is greater than amaximum shear force threshold level.

A ninth approach includes detecting an environmental conditionwarranting a change in viscosity of the STF. For example, the computingentity 20-1 determines to change the viscosity of the STF when anemergency is detected.

A tenth approach includes establishing the desired response to includeactivation of the auxiliary bypass to cause flow of the STF from thepiston compartment to the auxiliary compartment when establishing thedesired response to include facilitating the first range of shear rates.An eleventh approach includes establishing the desired response toinclude activation of the auxiliary bypass to cause flow of the STF fromthe auxiliary compartment to the piston compartment when establishingthe desired response to include facilitating the second range of shearrates.

Having determined the desired response 188 for the STF, a fourth step ofthe example method of operation includes the computing entity 20-1activating the auxiliary bypass 244 in accordance with the desiredresponse 188 for the STF to adjust the STF flow between the pistoncompartment 23 and the auxiliary compartment 241 to cause selection ofone of the first range of shear rates or the second range of shear ratesfor the STF within the piston compartment 23.

The activating the auxiliary bypass in accordance with the desiredresponse for the STF to adjust the STF flow between the pistoncompartment and the auxiliary compartment includes one or more of avariety of approaches.

A first approach includes generating a fluid activation to cause flow ofthe STF from the piston compartment to the auxiliary compartment whenthe desired response for the STF includes facilitating the first rangeof shear rates. For instance, the computing entity 20-1 outputs thefluid activation 234-1-1 to the auxiliary bypass 244 to cause the STF toretreat to the auxiliary compartment 241 thusly reducing STF shear forcein the piston compartment 23 and selecting the first range of shearrates (e.g., lower viscosity to speed up the object 12-1 moving fromposition X1 to a position X2 as illustrated in FIG. 11B).

A second approach includes generating the fluid activation to cause flowof the STF from the auxiliary compartment to the piston compartment whenthe desired response for the STF includes facilitating the second rangeof shear rates. For instance, the computing entity 20-1 outputs thefluid activation 234-1-1 to the auxiliary bypass 244 to cause the STF tomove into the piston compartment 23 thusly increasing STF shear forcesin the piston compartment 23 and selecting the second range of shearrates (e.g., higher viscosity to slow down the object 12-1).

In an embodiment, the process repeats where further fluid response isutilized to recalculate the desired response. The computing entity 20-1updates the adjustment to the auxiliary bypass 244 and/or the emitters114-1-1 and 114-1-2 based on the recalculated desired response.

The method described above in conjunction with a processing module ofany computing entity of the mechanical and computing system of FIG. 1can alternatively be performed by other modules of the system of FIG. 1or by other devices. In addition, at least one memory section that isnon-transitory (e.g., a non-transitory computer readable storage medium,a non-transitory computer readable memory organized into a first memoryelement, a second memory element, a third memory element, a fourthelement section, a fifth memory element, a sixth memory element, etc.)that stores operational instructions can, when executed by one or moreprocessing modules of the one or more computing entities of thecomputing system 10, cause one or more computing devices of themechanical and computing system of FIG. 1 to perform any or all of themethod steps described above.

FIGS. 12A-12B are schematic block diagrams of another embodiment of amechanical and computing system illustrating another example ofcontrolling operational aspects. The mechanical and computing systemincludes the head unit 10-1 of FIG. 1 , the object 12-1 of FIG. 1 , andthe computing entity 20-1 of FIG. 1 .

In particular, the head unit 10-1 for controlling motion of the object12-1 includes shear thickening fluid (STF) 42. The STF 42 is configuredto have a decreasing viscosity in response to a first range of shearrates and an increasing viscosity in response to a second range of shearrates. The second range of shear rates are greater than the first rangeof shear rates.

The head unit 10-1 further includes an alternative shear thickeningfluid (ASTF) 256. The ASTF 256 is configured to have a decreasingviscosity in response to a third range of shear rates and an increasingviscosity in response to a fourth range of shear rates. The fourth rangeof shear rates are greater than the third range of shear rates.

The head unit 10-1 further includes a chamber 16. The chamber configuredto contain a portion of the STF and a portion of the ASTF. The chamberincludes a piston compartment 23 and an alternative reservoir 250.

The head unit 10-1 further includes a reservoir injector 254 configuredwithin the chamber. The reservoir injector 254 couples the pistoncompartment 23 and the alternative reservoir 250 controlling flow of theASTF 256 from the alternative reservoir 250 to the piston compartment23. In an embodiment, a reservoir petition 252 separates the alternativereservoir 250 and the piston compartment 23 within the chamber 16.

The head unit 10-1 further includes a piston 36 housed at leastpartially radially within the piston compartment 23 of the chamber 16.The piston is configured to exert pressure against one or more of theSTF 42 and the ASTF 256 in response to movement of the piston 36 from aforce applied to the piston from the object 12-1. The movement of thepiston includes one of traveling through the piston compartment of thechamber in an inward direction or traveling through the pistoncompartment of the chamber in an outward direction.

The head unit 10-1 further includes a set of fluid flow sensors 116-1-1and 116-1-2 positioned proximal to the chamber 16. The set of fluid flowsensors provide a fluid response 232-1-1 and 232-1-2 from the STF 42.

The head unit 10-1 further includes a set of fluid manipulation emitters114-1-1 and 114-1-2 positioned proximal to the chamber 16. The set offluid manipulation emitters provide a fluid activation to the one ormore of the STF 42 and the ASTF 256 such that one of the first range ofshear rates, the second range of shear rates, a modified first range ofshear rates, or a modified second range of shear rates is selected forthe one or more of STF and the ASTF within the piston compartment 23.

The fluid activation further includes controlling the reservoir injector254 to control inflow of the alternative shear thickening fluid 256 fromthe alternative reservoir 250 to the piston compartment 23 causing amixture of the two shear thickening fluids. In an example, such inflowoccurs only once, during an emergency. The mixture of the STF and theASTF is configured to have a decreasing viscosity in response to themodified first range of shear rates and an increasing viscosity inresponse to the modified second range of shear rates. The modifiedsecond range of shear rates are greater than the modified first range ofshear rates.

FIG. 12A illustrates an example of operation of a method for thecontrolling the operational aspects. A first step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 interpreting fluidresponses 232-1-1 and 232-1-2 from the fluid flow sensors of the STF 42(e.g., in response to varying responsiveness of the particles of theSTF) to produce a piston velocity and piston position of the pistonassociated with the head unit. For example, the computing entity 20-1interprets fluid responses 232-1-1 and 232-1-2 from the sensors 116-1-1and 116-1-24 the STF 42 (e.g., in response to varying responsiveness ofthe particles of the STF) to produce the piston velocity and the pistonposition.

The interpreting the fluid flow response from the set of fluid flowsensors to produce the piston velocity and the piston position of thepiston includes a series of sub-steps. A first sub-step includesinputting, from one or more fluid flow sensors of the set of fluid flowsensors, a set of fluid flow signals over a time range. For example, thecomputing entity 20-1 receives fluid responses 232-1-1 and 232-1-2 overthe time range, where the fluid responses include the fluid flowsignals.

A second sub-step includes determining the fluid flow response of theset of fluid flow sensors based on the set of fluid flow signals. Forexample, the computing entity 20-1 interprets the fluid flow signals toproduce the fluid flow response.

A third sub-step includes determining the piston velocity based on thefluid flow response of the set of fluid flow sensors over the timerange. For example, the computing entity 20-1 calculates piston velocitybased on changes in the fluid flow response over the time range.

A fourth sub-step includes determining the piston position based on thepiston velocity and a real-time reference. For example, the computingentity 20-1 calculates the piston position based on time in the pistonvelocity as the piston moves through the chamber.

As yet another example of interpreting the fluid response 232-1-1 and232-1-2, the computing entity 20-1 compares the fluid response 232-1-1and 232-1-2 to previous measurements of fluid flow versus pistonvelocity and piston position to produce the piston velocity 182 andpiston position 184. As a still further example of the interpreting thefluid response 232-1-1 and 232-1-2, the computing entity 20-1 extractsthe piston velocity 182 and the piston position 184 directly from thefluid response 232-1-1 and/or 232-1-2 when the sensors 116-1-1 and116-1-2 generate the piston velocity and piston position directly.

A second step of the example of operation includes the computing entity20-1 determining a shear force 186 based on the piston velocity 182 andthe piston position 184. The determining the shear force based on thepiston velocity and the piston position includes one approach of avariety of approaches. A first approach includes extracting the shearforce directly from the fluid flow response when one or more fluid flowsensors of the set of fluid flow sensors outputs a shear force encodedsignal. For example, the computing entity 20-1 extracts the shear force186 directly from the fluid responses 232-1-1 and 232-1-2. In aninstance, the shear force 186 reveals the piston velocity versus forceapplied to the piston curve as illustrated in FIG. 12A, where at acurrent time of interpreting the fluid flow response, the force andpiston velocity are at a point X1.

A second approach includes determining the shear force utilizing thepiston velocity and stored data for piston velocity versus shear forcefor the STF, the ASTF, and the mixture of the STF and the ASTF. Forexample, the computing entity 20-1 compares the velocity and position tostored data for instantaneous velocity and position versus shear force.

A third approach includes determining the shear force utilizing thepiston position and stored data for piston position and a status of thereservoir injector versus shear force for the one of the STF, the ASTF,and the mixture of the STF and the ASTF within the chamber. For example,the computing entity 20-1 compares the velocity and position to storeddata for instantaneous velocity and position versus shear force based onan actual valve opening status of the reservoir injector 254. In aninstance, the shear force 186 reveals the piston velocity versus forceapplied to the piston curve as illustrated in FIG. 12A, where at acurrent time of interpreting the fluid response, the force and pistonvelocity are at a point X1.

FIG. 12B further illustrates the example of operation of the method forthe controlling the operational aspects. A third step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 determining a desiredresponse 188, for the one or more of the STF and the ASTF based on oneor more of the shear force 186 and the piston velocity 182 and thepiston position 184, where the desired response 188 includes injectingthe alternative STF 256 into the back channel 24. As an example, thedesired response 188 further includes modifying the function of the STFby mixing it with the alternative STF to further slow down the object12-1 associated with the new desired response.

The determining the desired response for the one or more of the STF andthe ASTF based on one or more of the shear force, the piston velocity,and piston position includes one or more approaches. A first approachincludes interpreting a request associated with modifying one or more ofobject velocity and object position. For example, the computing entity20-1 interprets a request from another computing entity to update thedesired response for the STF to increase viscosity to slow down theobject 12-1.

A second approach includes interpreting guidance from a chamberdatabase. For example, the computing entity 20-1 interprets data fromthe chamber database 34 of FIG. 1A to identify a response. For instance,the response is established and/or updated to decrease viscosity whenhistorical information in the chamber database 34 indicates that adecrease in viscosity is desired based on a current piston position andcurrent shear force.

A third approach includes establishing the desired response to includefacilitating the second range of shear rates to slow down the objectwhen detecting that the piston position is greater than a maximum pistonposition threshold level. A fourth approach includes establishing thedesired response to include facilitating the first range of shear ratesto speed up the object when detecting that the piston position is lessthan a minimum piston position threshold level.

A fifth approach includes establishing the desired response to includefacilitating the second range of shear rates to slow down the objectwhen detecting that the piston velocity is greater than a maximum pistonvelocity threshold level. A sixth approach includes establishing thedesired response to include facilitating the first range of shear ratesto speed up the object when detecting that the piston velocity is lessthan a minimum piston velocity threshold level.

A seventh approach includes establishing the desired response to includefacilitating the second range of shear rates to slow down the objectwhen detecting that the shear force is less than a minimum shear forcethreshold level. An eighth approach includes establishing the desiredresponse to include facilitating the first range of shear rates to speedup the object when detecting that the shear force is greater than amaximum shear force threshold level.

A ninth approach includes detecting an environmental conditionwarranting a change in viscosity of the STF. For example, the computingentity 20-1 determines to change the viscosity of the STF when aprevious emergency has been resolved.

A tenth approach includes establishing the desired response 188 toinclude activation of the reservoir injector to cause flow of the ASTFfrom the alternative reservoir to the piston compartment whenestablishing the desired response to include facilitating the modifiedfirst range of shear rates. In an embodiment, the modified first rangeof shear rates is less than the first range of shear rates.

An eleventh approach includes establishing the desired response toinclude activation of the reservoir injector to cause flow of the ASTFfrom the alternative reservoir to the piston compartment whenestablishing the desired response to include facilitating the modifiedsecond range of shear rates. In an embodiment, the modified second rangeof shear rates is greater than the second range of shear rates. In aninstance, the desired response 188 includes slowing down the velocity ofthe piston from the point X1 to a point X2 as illustrated in FIG. 12B.

Having determined the desired response 188 for the STF, a fourth step ofthe example method of operation includes the computing entity 20-1activating the reservoir injector 254 in accordance with the desiredresponse 188 for the one or more of the STF and the ASTF to adjust theflow of the ASTF 256 from the alternative reservoir 250 to the pistoncompartment 23 to cause selection of one of the first range of shearrates, the second range of shear rates, the modified first range ofshear rates, or the modified second range of shear rates for the one ormore of STF and the ASTF within the piston compartment 23.

The activating the reservoir injector in accordance with the desiredresponse for the one or more of the STF and the ASTF to adjust the ASTFflow from the alternative reservoir to the piston compartment includesone or more sub-steps. A first sub-step includes generating a fluidactivation to cause flow of the ASTF from the alternative reservoir tothe piston compartment when the desired response for the one or more ofthe STF and the ASTF includes facilitating the modified first range ofshear rates. For example, the computing entity 20-1 generates the fluidactivation 234-1-1 to open the reservoir injector 254 when thealternative STF 256 is associated with the third range of shear rates(e.g., less than the first range of shear rates) such that the modifiedfirst range of shear rates is less than the first range of shear rates.

A second sub-step includes generating the fluid activation to cause flowof the ASTF from the alternative reservoir to the piston compartmentwhen the desired response for the one or more of the STF and the ASTFincludes facilitating the modified second range of shear rates. Forexample, the computing entity 20-1 generates the fluid activation234-1-1 2 open the reservoir injector 254 when the alternative STF 256is associated with the fourth range of shear rates (e.g., greater thanthe second range of shear rates) such that the modified second range ofshear rates is greater than the second range of shear rates to raise theviscosity of the fluid within the piston compartment 23 and slow downthe object 12-1 moving from the point X1 to the point X2 as illustratedin FIG. 12B.

A third sub-step includes outputting the fluid activation to thereservoir injector. For example, the computing entity 20-1 outputs thefluid activation 234-1-1 to the reservoir injector 254 to facilitateopening of the reservoir injector 254 enabling the mixing of thealternative STF 256 and the STF 42 to produce the mixture. Havingestablished the mixture within the piston compartment 23, the object12-1 moves in accordance with the desired response 188.

In an alternative embodiment, the reservoir injector 254, on its own,mechanically detects an undesired attribute within the back channel 24(e.g., pressure greater than a high pressure over threshold level) andopens to initiate the inflow of the alternative STF 256 into the backchannel 24 to mix with the STF 42 to enable an emergency slow down ofthe object 12-1.

The method described above in conjunction with a processing module ofany computing entity of the mechanical and computing system of FIG. 1can alternatively be performed by other modules of the system of FIG. 1or by other devices. In addition, at least one memory section that isnon-transitory (e.g., a non-transitory computer readable storage medium,a non-transitory computer readable memory organized into a first memoryelement, a second memory element, a third memory element, a fourthelement section, a fifth memory element, a sixth memory element, etc.)that stores operational instructions can, when executed by one or moreprocessing modules of the one or more computing entities of thecomputing system cause one or more computing devices of the mechanicaland computing system of FIG. 1 to perform any or all of the method stepsdescribed above.

FIGS. 13A-13B are schematic block diagrams of another embodiment of amechanical and computing system illustrating another example ofcontrolling operational aspects. The mechanical and computing systemincludes the head unit 10-1 of FIG. 1 , the object 12-1 of FIG. 1 , andthe computing entity 20-1 of FIG. 1 .

In particular, the head unit 10-1 for controlling motion of the object12-1 includes the chamber 16 filled at least in part with the shearthickening fluid (STF) 42. The chamber 16 includes a piston compartment.The piston compartment includes the front channel 26 and the backchannel 24, where the variable partition 260 partitions the back channel24.

The piston is housed at least partially radially within the pistoncompartment of the chamber 16. The piston 36 is configured to exertpressure against the shear thickening fluid in response to movement ofthe piston 36 from a force applied to the piston 36 via the plunger 28from the object 12-1.

The movement of the piston 36 includes one of traveling through thechamber 16 in an inward direction or traveling through the chamber 16 inan outward direction. The STF is configured to have a decreasingviscosity in response to a first range of shear rates and an increasingviscosity in response to a second range of shear rates.

The head unit 10-1 further includes a variable partition 260 positionedwithin the chamber between the piston and a closed end of the chamber todynamically affect volume of the chamber based on activation of thevariable partition. The head unit 10-1 further includes a set of fluidflow sensors positioned proximal to the chamber 16 and a set of fluidmanipulation emitters positioned proximal to the chamber 16. The set offluid flow sensors provide a fluid response from the STF. The set offluid manipulation emitters provide a fluid activation to the STF. Forexample, sensors 116-1-1 and 116-1-2 and emitters 114-1-1 and 114-1-2are proximal to the chamber, where the sensors and emitters sense andemit energy respectively to interact with the STF 42.

FIG. 13A illustrates an example of operation of a method for thecontrolling the operational aspects. A first step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 interpreting fluidresponses 232-1-1 and 232-1-2 from the STF 42 (e.g., in response tovarying responsiveness of the particles of the STF) to produce a pistonvelocity and a piston position of the piston 36. The set of fluidsensors are positioned proximal to the head unit 10-1 for controllingmotion of the object 12-1, where the head unit includes the chamberfilled at least in part with a shear thickening fluid (STF).

The piston is housed at least partially radially within the chamber andthe piston configured to exert pressure against the shear thickeningfluid in response to movement of the piston from a force applied to thepiston from the object 12-1. The movement of the piston includes one oftraveling through the chamber in an inward direction or travelingthrough the chamber in an outward direction. The STF is configured tohave a decreasing viscosity in response to a first range of shear ratesand an increasing viscosity in response to a second range of shearrates. The chamber includes the variable partition to dynamically affectvolume of the chamber.

The interpreting the fluid flow response from the set of fluid flowsensors to produce the piston velocity and the piston position of thepiston includes a series of sub-steps. A first sub-step includesinputting, from one or more fluid flow sensors of the set of fluid flowsensors, a set of fluid flow signals over a time range. For example, thecomputing entity 20-1 receives fluid responses 232-1-1 and 232-1-2 overthe time range, where the fluid responses include the fluid flowsignals.

A second sub-step includes determining the fluid flow response of theset of fluid flow sensors based on the set of fluid flow signals. Forexample, the computing entity 20-1 interprets the fluid flow signals toproduce the fluid flow response.

A third sub-step includes determining the piston velocity based on thefluid flow response of the set of fluid flow sensors over the timerange. For example, the computing entity 20-1 calculates piston velocitybased on changes in the fluid flow response over the time range.

A fourth sub-step includes determining the piston position based on thepiston velocity and a real-time reference. For example, the computingentity 20-1 calculates the piston position based on time in the pistonvelocity as the piston moves through the chamber.

As yet another example of interpreting the fluid response 232-1-1 and232-1-2, the computing entity 20-1 compares the fluid response 232-1-1and 232-1-2 to previous measurements of fluid flow versus pistonvelocity and piston position to produce the piston velocity 182 andpiston position 184. As a still further example of the interpreting thefluid response 232-1-1 and 232-1-2, the computing entity 20-1 extractsthe piston velocity 182 and the piston position 184 directly from thefluid response 232-1-1 and/or 232-1-2 when the sensors 116-1-1 and116-1-2 generate the piston velocity and piston position directly.

A second step of the example of operation includes the computing entity20-1 determining a shear force 186 based on the piston velocity 182 andthe piston position 184. The determining the shear force based on thepiston velocity and the piston position includes one approach of avariety of approaches. A first approach includes extracting the shearforce directly from the fluid flow response when one or more fluid flowsensors of the set of fluid flow sensors outputs a shear force encodedsignal. For example, the computing entity 20-1 extracts the shear force186 directly from the fluid responses 232-1-1 and 232-1-2. In aninstance, the shear force 186 reveals the piston velocity versus forceapplied to the piston curve as illustrated in FIG. 13A, where at acurrent time of interpreting the fluid flow response, the force andpiston velocity are at a point X1.

A second approach includes determining the shear force utilizing thepiston velocity and stored data for piston velocity versus shear forcefor the STF. For example, the computing entity 20-1 compares thevelocity and position to stored data for instantaneous velocity andposition versus shear force for the STF 42.

A third approach includes determining the shear force utilizing thepiston position and stored data for piston position versus shear forcefor the STF within the chamber. For example, the computing entity 20-1compares the velocity and position to stored data for instantaneousvelocity and position versus shear force for the STF 42.

FIG. 13B further illustrates the example of operation of the method forthe controlling the operational aspects. A third step of the example ofoperation includes the computing entity 20-1 determining a desiredresponse 188 for the STF based on one or more of the shear force 186,the piston velocity 182, and the piston position 184, where the desiredresponse 188 includes moving the variable partition 260 within the backchannel 24. The determining the desired response for the STF based onone or more of the shear force, the piston velocity, and piston positionincludes one or more approaches. A first approach includes interpretinga request associated with modifying one or more of object velocity andobject position. For example, the computing entity 20-1 interprets arequest from another computing entity to update the desired response forthe STF to increase viscosity to slow down the object 12-1.

A second approach includes interpreting guidance from a chamberdatabase. For example, the computing entity 20-1 interprets data fromthe chamber database 34 of FIG. 1A to identify an updated response forthe STF. For instance, the response for the STF is updated to decreaseviscosity when historical information in the chamber database 34indicates that a decrease in viscosity is desired based on a currentpiston position and current shear force.

A third approach includes establishing the desired response to includefacilitating the second range of shear rates to slow down the objectwhen detecting that the piston position is greater than a maximum pistonposition threshold level. A fourth approach includes establishing thedesired response to include facilitating the first range of shear ratesto speed up the object when detecting that the piston position is lessthan a minimum piston position threshold level.

A fifth approach includes establishing the desired response to includefacilitating the second range of shear rates to slow down the objectwhen detecting that the piston velocity is greater than a maximum pistonvelocity threshold level. A sixth approach includes establishing thedesired response to include facilitating the first range of shear ratesto speed up the object when detecting that the piston velocity is lessthan a minimum piston velocity threshold level.

A seventh approach includes establishing the desired response to includefacilitating the second range of shear rates to slow down the objectwhen detecting that the shear force is less than a minimum shear forcethreshold level. An eighth approach includes establishing the desiredresponse to include facilitating the first range of shear rates to speedup the object when detecting that the shear force is greater than amaximum shear force threshold level.

A ninth approach includes detecting an environmental conditionwarranting a change in viscosity of the STF. For example, the computingentity 20-1 determines to change the viscosity of the STF when atriggering of a vehicular airbag sensor is detected. As another example,the computing entity 20-1 determines to change the viscosity of the STFwhen detecting an earthquake. As yet another example, the computingentity 20-1 determines to change the viscosity of the STF when detectinga proximity warning (e.g., of a certain collision).

A tenth approach includes establishing the desired response to includeactivation of the variable partition to expand the volume of the chamber(e.g., move the variable partition away from the piston) whenestablishing the desired response to include facilitating the firstrange of shear rates. An eleventh approach includes establishing thedesired response to include activation of the variable partition tocontract the volume of the chamber (e.g., move the variable partitiontowards the piston) when establishing the desired response to includefacilitating the second range of shear rates.

Having determined the desired response 188 for the STF, a fourth step ofthe example method of operation includes the computing entity 20-1activating the variable partition 260 in accordance with the desiredresponse 188 for the STF to adjust the volume of the chamber. Theactivating the variable partition in accordance with the desiredresponse for the STF to adjust the volume of the chamber includes one ormore approaches. A first approach includes generating a variablepartition activation 235 to expand the volume of the chamber when thedesired response for the STF includes facilitating the first range ofshear rates.

A second approach includes generating the variable partition activationto contract the volume of the chamber when the desired response for theSTF includes facilitating the second range of shear rates. A thirdapproach includes outputting the variable partition activation to thevariable partition. For example, the computing entity 20-1 outputs thevariable partition activation 235 to the variable partition 260facilitate moving of the variable partition 260.

Alternatively, or in addition to, the activating the variable partition260 includes adjustment via one or more of the emitters. For example,the computing entity 20-1 determines to move the variable partition 260further inwards to lower the viscosity of the STF to affect increasingthe velocity of the object 12-1 as the actual response moves from the X1to a position X2 by outputting fluid activation 234-1-1 and 234-1-2 tothe emitters 114-1-1 and 114-1-2 respectively to move the variablepartition 260 further inwards.

In an alternative embodiment, the variable partition 260, on its own,mechanically detects an undesired attribute within the back channel 24(e.g., pressure greater than a high pressure over threshold level) andmoves further inward to initiate the speeding up of the object 12-1.

The method described above in conjunction with a processing module ofany computing entity of the mechanical and computing system of FIG. 1can alternatively be performed by other modules of the system of FIG. 1or by other devices. In addition, at least one memory section that isnon-transitory (e.g., a non-transitory computer readable storage medium,a non-transitory computer readable memory organized into a first memoryelement, a second memory element, a third memory element, a fourthelement section, a fifth memory element, a sixth memory element, etc.)that stores operational instructions can, when executed by one or moreprocessing modules of the one or more computing entities of thecomputing system 10, cause one or more computing devices of themechanical and computing system of FIG. 1 to perform any or all of themethod steps described above.

FIGS. 14A-14B are schematic block diagrams of an embodiment of amechanical system illustrating an example of controlling operationalaspects. The mechanical system includes the head unit 10-1 of FIG. 1 andthe object 12-1 of FIG. 1 .

In particular, the head unit 10-1 for controlling motion of the object12-1 includes the chamber 16 filled at least in part with the shearthickening fluid (STF) 42. The chamber 16 includes the front channel 26and the back channel 24.

The piston is housed at least partially radially within the pistoncompartment of the chamber 16. The piston 36 is configured to exertpressure against the shear thickening fluid in response to movement ofthe piston 36 from a force applied to the piston 36 via the plunger 28from the object 12-1.

The movement of the piston 36 includes one of traveling through thechamber 16 in an inward direction or traveling through the chamber 16 inan outward direction. The piston 36 travels toward the back channel 24and away from the front channel 26 when traveling in the inwarddirection. The piston travels toward the front channel 26 and away fromthe back channel 24 when traveling in the outward direction. The STF isconfigured to have a decreasing viscosity in response to a first rangeof shear rates and an increasing viscosity in response to a second rangeof shear rates.

The piston 36 includes a first piston bypass 38-1 between opposite sidesof the piston that controls flow of the STF between the opposite sidesof the piston from the back channel 24 to the front channel 26 when thepiston is traveling through the chamber in the inward direction to causethe STF to react with a first shear threshold effect. The piston 36further includes a second piston bypass 38-2 between the opposite sidesof the piston that controls flow of the STF between the opposite sidesof the piston from the front channel 26 to the back channel 24 when thepiston 36 is traveling through the chamber in the outward direction tocause the STF to react with a second shear threshold effect.

In another embodiment, the piston includes a single piston bypassbetween opposite sides of the piston that controls flow of the STFbetween the opposite sides of the piston between the back channel andthe front channel when the piston is traveling through the chamber tocause the STF to react with a shear threshold effect.

When the piston 36 includes two or more piston bypasses, each pistonbypass includes a one-way check valve and a variable flow valve. Whenthe piston includes one piston bypass, the piston bypass includes thevariable flow valve.

The first piston bypass 38-1 and the second piston bypass 38-2 areconfigured with a particular diameter of the variable valve to allow theSTF to flow through from one channel to the other of the chamber inaccordance with a desired overall effect on viscosity of the STF 42. Thegraph of FIG. 14A illustrates a nominal response curve for plungervelocity versus force applied to the plunger taking into accountdifferent diameters of the piston bypasses. For example, when the firstpiston bypass 38-1 has a larger diameter opening as compared to theopening of the second piston bypass 38-2, the (positive) velocity of thepiston is allowed to travel faster since the effect on the viscosity isto lower the viscosity and hence raise the velocity of the pistontraveling inward within the chamber.

FIG. 14A illustrates an example of operation of the mechanical systemfor the controlling the operational aspects. A first step of the exampleof operation includes the piston moving inwards in response to theobject 12-1 applying an inward force to the plunger 28 (e.g., pushing).The actual response is depicted on the graph of FIG. 14A where theactual response follows the nominal response expected for the STF as apoint in time of Y1 is reached.

When the piston is traveling through the chamber in the inwarddirection, the first shear threshold effect includes the first range ofshear rates when the STF is configured to have the decreasing viscosityand the second range of shear rates when the STF is configured to havethe increasing viscosity. A first setting of the variable flow valve ofthe first piston bypass 38-1 facilitates the first range of shear rateswhen the STF is to have the decreasing viscosity and a second setting ofthe variable flow valve facilitates the second range of shear rates whenthe STF is to have the increasing viscosity. When the piston istraveling through the chamber in the inward direction, the one-way checkvalve of the second piston bypass 38-2 prevents STF flow through secondpiston bypass 38-2.

In the alternative embodiment with the one piston bypass, when thepiston is traveling through the chamber, a first setting of the variableflow valve of the one piston bypass facilitates the first range of shearrates when the STF is to have the decreasing viscosity and a secondsetting of the variable flow valve of the one piston bypass facilitatesthe second range of shear rates when the STF is to have the increasingviscosity.

A second step of the example of operation includes the STF moving fromthe back channel 24 through the first piston bypass 38-1 to the frontchannel 26 at a first velocity to cause the STF to react with a firstshear threshold effect. Larger diameters of the first piston bypass 38-1lowers pressure and shear force within the back channel 24 leading tohigher piston velocity as the piston moves inwards.

FIG. 14B further illustrates the example of operation of the mechanicalsystem for the controlling the operational aspects. A third step of theexample of operation includes the piston 36 moving outwards in responseto the object 12-1 applying an outward force to the plunger 28 (e.g.,pulling). The actual response is depicted on a graph of FIG. 14B wherethe actual response moves to follow the nominal response expected forthe STF, at a point in time of Y2, when moving in the outward direction(e.g., negative piston velocity).

When the piston is traveling through the chamber in the outwarddirection, the second shear threshold effect includes the first range ofshear rates when the STF is configured to have the decreasing viscosityand the second range of shear rates when the STF is configured to havethe increasing viscosity. In the alternative embodiment with the onepiston bypass, when the piston is traveling through the chamber, theshear threshold effect includes the first range of shear rates when theSTF is configured to have the decreasing viscosity and the second rangeof shear rates when the STF is configured to have the increasingviscosity.

When the piston is traveling through the chamber in the outwarddirection, the one-way check valve of the first piston bypass preventsSTF flow through the first piston bypass 38-1. When the piston istraveling through the chamber in the outward direction a first settingof the variable flow valve of the second piston bypass facilitates thefirst range of shear rates when the STF is to have the decreasingviscosity and a second setting of the variable flow valve of the secondpiston bypass facilitates the second range of shear rates when the STFis to have the increasing viscosity.

A third step of the example of operation includes the STF moving fromthe front channel 26 through the second piston bypass 38-2 to the backchannel 24 at a second velocity to cause the STF 42 to react with asecond shear threshold effect. The second velocity is less than thefirst velocity and the second shear threshold effect is more abrupt thanthe first shear threshold effect when the diameter of the second pistonbypass 38-2 is less than the diameter of the first piston bypass 38-1.As a result, the mechanical system provides an unequal bidirectionalresponse for the inward and outward motion of the object 12-1.

It is noted that terminologies as may be used herein such as bit stream,stream, signal sequence, etc. (or their equivalents) have been usedinterchangeably to describe digital information whose contentcorresponds to any of a number of desired types (e.g., data, video,speech, text, graphics, audio, etc. any of which may generally bereferred to as ‘data’).

As may be used herein, the terms “substantially” and “approximately”provides an industry-accepted tolerance for its corresponding termand/or relativity between items. For some industries, anindustry-accepted tolerance is less than one percent and, for otherindustries, the industry-accepted tolerance is 10 percent or more. Otherexamples of industry-accepted tolerance range from less than one percentto fifty percent. Industry-accepted tolerances correspond to, but arenot limited to, component values, integrated circuit process variations,temperature variations, rise and fall times, thermal noise, dimensions,signaling errors, dropped packets, temperatures, pressures, materialcompositions, and/or performance metrics. Within an industry, tolerancevariances of accepted tolerances may be more or less than a percentagelevel (e.g., dimension tolerance of less than +/−1%). Some relativitybetween items may range from a difference of less than a percentagelevel to a few percent. Other relativity between items may range from adifference of a few percent to magnitude of differences.

As may also be used herein, the term(s) “configured to”, “operablycoupled to”, “coupled to”, and/or “coupling” includes direct couplingbetween items and/or indirect coupling between items via an interveningitem (e.g., an item includes, but is not limited to, a component, anelement, a circuit, and/or a module) where, for an example of indirectcoupling, the intervening item does not modify the information of asignal but may adjust its current level, voltage level, and/or powerlevel. As may further be used herein, inferred coupling (i.e., where oneelement is coupled to another element by inference) includes direct andindirect coupling between two items in the same manner as “coupled to”.

As may even further be used herein, the term “configured to”, “operableto”, “coupled to”, or “operably coupled to” indicates that an itemincludes one or more of power connections, input(s), output(s), etc., toperform, when activated, one or more its corresponding functions and mayfurther include inferred coupling to one or more other items. As maystill further be used herein, the term “associated with”, includesdirect and/or indirect coupling of separate items and/or one item beingembedded within another item.

As may be used herein, the term “compares favorably”, indicates that acomparison between two or more items, signals, etc., provides a desiredrelationship. For example, when the desired relationship is that signal1 has a greater magnitude than signal 2, a favorable comparison may beachieved when the magnitude of signal 1 is greater than that of signal 2or when the magnitude of signal 2 is less than that of signal 1. As maybe used herein, the term “compares unfavorably”, indicates that acomparison between two or more items, signals, etc., fails to providethe desired relationship.

As may be used herein, one or more claims may include, in a specificform of this generic form, the phrase “at least one of a, b, and c” orof this generic form “at least one of a, b, or c”, with more or lesselements than “a”, “b”, and “c”. In either phrasing, the phrases are tobe interpreted identically. In particular, “at least one of a, b, and c”is equivalent to “at least one of a, b, or c” and shall mean a, b,and/or c. As an example, it means: “a” only, “b” only, “c” only, “a” and“b”, “a” and “c”, “b” and “c”, and/or “a”, “b”, and “c”.

As may also be used herein, the terms “processing module”, “processingcircuit”, “processor”, “processing circuitry”, and/or “processing unit”may be a single processing device or a plurality of processing devices.Such a processing device may be a microprocessor, micro-controller,digital signal processor, microcomputer, central processing unit, fieldprogrammable gate array, programmable logic device, state machine, logiccircuitry, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or any device thatmanipulates signals (analog and/or digital) based on hard coding of thecircuitry and/or operational instructions. The processing module,module, processing circuit, processing circuitry, and/or processing unitmay be, or further include, memory and/or an integrated memory element,which may be a single memory device, a plurality of memory devices,and/or embedded circuitry of another processing module, module,processing circuit, processing circuitry, and/or processing unit. Such amemory device may be a read-only memory, random access memory, volatilememory, non-volatile memory, static memory, dynamic memory, flashmemory, cache memory, and/or any device that stores digital information.Note that if the processing module, module, processing circuit,processing circuitry, and/or processing unit includes more than oneprocessing device, the processing devices may be centrally located(e.g., directly coupled together via a wired and/or wireless busstructure) or may be distributedly located (e.g., cloud computing viaindirect coupling via a local area network and/or a wide area network).Further note that if the processing module, module, processing circuit,processing circuitry and/or processing unit implements one or more ofits functions via a state machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry,and/or logic circuitry, the memory and/or memory element storing thecorresponding operational instructions may be embedded within, orexternal to, the circuitry comprising the state machine, analogcircuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry. Still further notethat, the memory element may store, and the processing module, module,processing circuit, processing circuitry and/or processing unitexecutes, hard coded and/or operational instructions corresponding to atleast some of the steps and/or functions illustrated in one or more ofthe Figures. Such a memory device or memory element can be included inan article of manufacture.

One or more embodiments have been described above with the aid of methodsteps illustrating the performance of specified functions andrelationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these functionalbuilding blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined hereinfor convenience of description. Alternate boundaries and sequences canbe defined so long as the specified functions and relationships areappropriately performed. Any such alternate boundaries or sequences arethus within the scope and spirit of the claims. Further, the boundariesof these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined forconvenience of description. Alternate boundaries could be defined aslong as the certain significant functions are appropriately performed.Similarly, flow diagram blocks may also have been arbitrarily definedherein to illustrate certain significant functionality.

To the extent used, the flow diagram block boundaries and sequence couldhave been defined otherwise and still perform the certain significantfunctionality. Such alternate definitions of both functional buildingblocks and flow diagram blocks and sequences are thus within the scopeand spirit of the claims. One of average skill in the art will alsorecognize that the functional building blocks, and other illustrativeblocks, modules, and components herein, can be implemented asillustrated or by discrete components, application specific integratedcircuits, processors executing appropriate software and the like or anycombination thereof.

In addition, a flow diagram may include a “start” and/or “continue”indication. The “start” and “continue” indications reflect that thesteps presented can optionally be incorporated in or otherwise used inconjunction with one or more other routines. In addition, a flow diagrammay include an “end” and/or “continue” indication. The “end” and/or“continue” indications reflect that the steps presented can end asdescribed and shown or optionally be incorporated in or otherwise usedin conjunction with one or more other routines. In this context, “start”indicates the beginning of the first step presented and may be precededby other activities not specifically shown. Further, the “continue”indication reflects that the steps presented may be performed multipletimes and/or may be succeeded by other activities not specificallyshown. Further, while a flow diagram indicates a particular ordering ofsteps, other orderings are likewise possible provided that theprinciples of causality are maintained.

The one or more embodiments are used herein to illustrate one or moreaspects, one or more features, one or more concepts, and/or one or moreexamples. A physical embodiment of an apparatus, an article ofmanufacture, a machine, and/or of a process may include one or more ofthe aspects, features, concepts, examples, etc., described withreference to one or more of the embodiments discussed herein. Further,from figure to figure, the embodiments may incorporate the same orsimilarly named functions, steps, modules, etc., that may use the sameor different reference numbers and, as such, the functions, steps,modules, etc., may be the same or similar functions, steps, modules,etc. or different ones.

Unless specifically stated to the contra, signals to, from, and/orbetween elements in a figure of any of the figures presented herein maybe analog or digital, continuous time or discrete time, and single-endedor differential. For instance, if a signal path is shown as asingle-ended path, it also represents a differential signal path.Similarly, if a signal path is shown as a differential path, it alsorepresents a single-ended signal path. While one or more particulararchitectures are described herein, other architectures can likewise beimplemented that use one or more data buses not expressly shown, directconnectivity between elements, and/or indirect coupling between otherelements as recognized by one of average skill in the art.

The term “module” is used in the description of one or more of theembodiments. A module implements one or more functions via a device suchas a processor or other processing device or other hardware that mayinclude or operate in association with a memory that stores operationalinstructions. A module may operate independently and/or in conjunctionwith software and/or firmware. As also used herein, a module may containone or more sub-modules, each of which may be one or more modules.

As may further be used herein, a computer readable memory includes oneor more memory elements. A memory element may be a separate memorydevice, multiple memory devices, or a set of memory locations within amemory device. Such a memory device may be a read-only memory, randomaccess memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, static memory,dynamic memory, flash memory, cache memory, a quantum register or otherquantum memory and/or any other device that stores data in anon-transitory manner. Furthermore, the memory device may be in a formof a solid-state memory, a hard drive memory or other disk storage,cloud memory, thumb drive, server memory, computing device memory,and/or other non-transitory medium for storing data. The storage of dataincludes temporary storage (i.e., data is lost when power is removedfrom the memory element) and/or persistent storage (i.e., data isretained when power is removed from the memory element). As used herein,a transitory medium shall mean one or more of: (a) a wired or wirelessmedium for the transportation of data as a signal from one computingdevice to another computing device for temporary storage or persistentstorage; (b) a wired or wireless medium for the transportation of dataas a signal within a computing device from one element of the computingdevice to another element of the computing device for temporary storageor persistent storage; (c) a wired or wireless medium for thetransportation of data as a signal from one computing device to anothercomputing device for processing the data by the other computing device;and (d) a wired or wireless medium for the transportation of data as asignal within a computing device from one element of the computingdevice to another element of the computing device for processing thedata by the other element of the computing device. As may be usedherein, a non-transitory computer readable memory is substantiallyequivalent to a computer readable memory. A non-transitory computerreadable memory can also be referred to as a non-transitory computerreadable storage medium.

While particular combinations of various functions and features of theone or more embodiments have been expressly described herein, othercombinations of these features and functions are likewise possible. Thepresent disclosure is not limited by the particular examples disclosedherein and expressly incorporates these other combinations.

What is claimed is:
 1. A head unit device for controlling motion of anobject, comprising: shear thickening fluid (STF), wherein the STF isconfigured to have a decreasing viscosity in response to a first rangeof shear rates and an increasing viscosity in response to a second rangeof shear rates, wherein the second range of shear rates are greater thanthe first range of shear rates; an alternative shear thickening fluid(ASTF), wherein the ASTF is configured to have a decreasing viscosity inresponse to a third range of shear rates and an increasing viscosity inresponse to a fourth range of shear rates, wherein the fourth range ofshear rates are greater than the third range of shear rates; a chamber,the chamber configured to contain a portion of the STF and a portion ofthe ASTF, wherein the chamber includes a piston compartment and analternative reservoir; a reservoir injector configured within thechamber, wherein the reservoir injector couples the piston compartmentand the alternative reservoir controlling flow of the ASTF from thealternative reservoir to the piston compartment; a piston housed atleast partially radially within the piston compartment of the chamber,the piston configured to exert pressure against one or more of the STFand the ASTF in response to movement of the piston from a force appliedto the piston from the object, wherein the movement of the pistonincludes one of traveling through the piston compartment of the chamberin an inward direction or traveling through the piston compartment ofthe chamber in an outward direction; a set of fluid flow sensorspositioned proximal to the chamber, wherein the set of fluid flowsensors provide a fluid response from the STF; and a set of fluidmanipulation emitters positioned proximal to the chamber, wherein theset of fluid manipulation emitters provide a fluid activation to the oneor more of the STF and the ASTF such that one of the first range ofshear rates, the second range of shear rates, a modified first range ofshear rates, or a modified second range of shear rates is selected forthe one or more of STF and the ASTF within the piston compartment,wherein the fluid activation further includes controlling the reservoirinjector, wherein a mixture of the STF and the ASTF is configured tohave a decreasing viscosity in response to the modified first range ofshear rates and an increasing viscosity in response to the modifiedsecond range of shear rates, wherein the modified second range of shearrates are greater than the modified first range of shear rates.
 2. Thehead unit device of claim 1, wherein the head unit device furthercomprises: a plunger between the object and the piston, the plungerconfigured to apply the force from the object to move the piston withinthe chamber.
 3. The head unit device of claim 2, wherein the head unitdevice further comprises: a plunger bushing to guide the plunger intothe chamber in response to the force from the object, wherein theplunger bushing facilitates containment of the one or more of the STFand the ASTF within the chamber, wherein the plunger bushing remains ina fixed position relative to the chamber when the force from the objectmoves the piston within the chamber.
 4. The head unit device of claim 1,wherein the STF and the ASTF comprises: a plurality of nanoparticles,wherein the plurality of nanoparticles includes one or more of an oxide,calcium carbonate, synthetically occurring minerals, naturally occurringminerals, polymers, SiO2, polystyrene, polymethylmethacrylate, or amixture thereof.
 5. The head unit device of claim 1, wherein the STFASTF comprises: one or more of ethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol,ethanol, silicon oils, phenyltrimethicone, or a mixture thereof.
 6. Thehead unit device of claim 1, wherein the head unit device furthercomprises: a piston bypass between opposite sides of the piston, whereinthe piston bypass facilitates flow of a portion of the one or more ofthe STF and the ASTF between the opposite sides of the piston when thepiston travels through the chamber in the inward or the outwarddirection.
 7. The head unit device of claim 1, wherein the head unitdevice further comprises: a chamber bypass between opposite ends of thechamber, wherein the chamber bypass facilitates flow of a portion of theSTF between the opposite ends of the chamber when the piston travelsthrough the chamber in the inward or the outward direction.
 8. The headunit device of claim 1, wherein the set of fluid flow sensors comprisesone or more of: a valve opening detector associated with the reservoirinjector, a mechanical position sensor, an image sensor, a light sensor,an audio sensor, a microphone, an ultrasonic sound sensor, an electricfield sensor, a magnetic field sensor, and a radio frequency wirelessfield sensor.
 9. The head unit device of claim 1, wherein the set offluid manipulation emitters comprises one or more of: a variable flowvalve associated with the reservoir injector, a mechanical vibrationgenerator, an image generator, a light emitter, an audio transducer, aspeaker, an ultrasonic sound transducer, an electric field generator, amagnetic field generator, and a radio frequency wireless fieldtransmitter.
 10. A method for execution by a computing device, themethod comprises: interpreting a fluid response from a set of fluid flowsensors to produce a piston velocity and a piston position of a pistonassociated with a head unit device, wherein the set of fluid flowsensors are positioned proximal to the head unit device for controllingmotion of an object, wherein the head unit device includes: shearthickening fluid (STF), wherein the STF is configured to have adecreasing viscosity in response to a first range of shear rates and anincreasing viscosity in response to a second range of shear rates,wherein the second range of shear rates are greater than the first rangeof shear rates, an alternative shear thickening fluid (ASTF), whereinthe ASTF is configured to have a decreasing viscosity in response to athird range of shear rates and an increasing viscosity in response to afourth range of shear rates, wherein the fourth range of shear rates aregreater than the third range of shear rates, a chamber, the chamberconfigured to contain a portion of the STF and a portion of the ASTF,wherein the chamber includes a piston compartment and an alternativereservoir, a reservoir injector configured within the chamber, whereinthe reservoir injector couples the piston compartment and thealternative reservoir controlling flow of the ASTF from the alternativereservoir to the piston compartment, a piston housed at least partiallyradially within the piston compartment of the chamber, the pistonconfigured to exert pressure against one or more of the STF and the ASTFin response to movement of the piston from a force applied to the pistonfrom the object, wherein the movement of the piston includes one oftraveling through the piston compartment of the chamber in an inwarddirection or traveling through the piston compartment of the chamber inan outward direction, the set of fluid flow sensors positioned proximalto the chamber, wherein the set of fluid flow sensors provide the fluidresponse from the STF, and a set of fluid manipulation emitterspositioned proximal to the chamber, wherein the set of fluidmanipulation emitters provide a fluid activation to the one or more ofthe STF and the ASTF such that one of the first range of shear rates,the second range of shear rates, a modified first range of shear rates,or a modified second range of shear rates is selected for the one ormore of STF and the ASTF within the piston compartment, wherein thefluid activation further includes controlling the reservoir injector,wherein a mixture of the STF and the ASTF is configured to have adecreasing viscosity in response to the modified first range of shearrates and an increasing viscosity in response to the modified secondrange of shear rates, wherein the modified second range of shear ratesare greater than the modified first range of shear rates; determining ashear force based on the piston velocity and the piston position;determining a desired response for the one or more of the STF and theASTF based on one or more of the shear force, the piston velocity, andthe piston position; and activating the reservoir injector in accordancewith the desired response for the one or more of the STF and the ASTF toadjust the flow of the ASTF from the alternative reservoir to the pistoncompartment to cause selection of one of the first range of shear rates,the second range of shear rates, the modified first range of shearrates, or the modified second range of shear rates for the one or moreof STF and the ASTF within the piston compartment.
 11. The method ofclaim 10, wherein the interpreting the fluid response from the set offluid flow sensors to produce the piston velocity and the pistonposition of the piston comprises: inputting, from one or more fluid flowsensors of the set of fluid flow sensors, a set of fluid flow signalsover a time range; determining the fluid response of the set of fluidflow sensors based on the set of fluid flow signals; determining thepiston velocity based on the fluid response of the set of fluid flowsensors over the time range; and determining the piston position basedon the piston velocity and a real-time reference.
 12. The method ofclaim 10, wherein the determining the shear force based on the pistonvelocity and the piston position comprises one of: extracting the shearforce directly from the fluid response when one or more fluid flowsensors of the set of fluid flow sensors outputs a shear force encodedsignal; determining the shear force utilizing the piston velocity andstored data for piston velocity versus shear force for one of the STF,the ASTF, and the mixture of the STF and the ASTF; and determining theshear force utilizing the piston position and stored data for pistonposition and a status of the reservoir injector versus shear force forthe one of the STF, the ASTF, and the mixture of the STF and the ASTFwithin the chamber.
 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the determiningthe desired response for the one or more of the STF and the ASTF basedon one or more of the shear force, the piston velocity, and the pistonposition comprises one or more of: interpreting a request associatedwith modifying one or more of object velocity and object position;interpreting guidance from a chamber database; establishing the desiredresponse to include facilitating the second range of shear rates to slowdown the object when detecting that the piston position is greater thana maximum piston position threshold level; establishing the desiredresponse to include facilitating the first range of shear rates to speedup the object when detecting that the piston position is less than aminimum piston position threshold level; establishing the desiredresponse to include facilitating the second range of shear rates to slowdown the object when detecting that the piston velocity is greater thana maximum piston velocity threshold level; establishing the desiredresponse to include facilitating the first range of shear rates to speedup the object when detecting that the piston velocity is less than aminimum piston velocity threshold level; establishing the desiredresponse to include facilitating the second range of shear rates to slowdown the object when detecting that the shear force is less than aminimum shear force threshold level; establishing the desired responseto include facilitating the first range of shear rates to speed up theobject when detecting that the shear force is greater than a maximumshear force threshold level; detecting an environmental conditionwarranting a change in viscosity of the STF; establishing the desiredresponse to include the activation of the reservoir injector to causethe flow of the ASTF from the alternative reservoir to the pistoncompartment when establishing the desired response to includefacilitating the modified first range of shear rates, wherein themodified first range of shear rates is less than the first range ofshear rates; and establishing the desired response to include theactivation of the reservoir injector to cause the flow of the ASTF fromthe alternative reservoir to the piston compartment when establishingthe desired response to include facilitating the modified second rangeof shear rates, wherein the modified second range of shear rates isgreater than the second range of shear rates.
 14. The method of claim10, wherein the activating the reservoir injector in accordance with thedesired response for the one or more of the STF and the ASTF to adjustthe ASTF flow from the alternative reservoir to the piston compartmentcomprises one or more of: generating a fluid activation to cause flow ofthe ASTF from the alternative reservoir to the piston compartment whenthe desired response for the one or more of the STF and the ASTFincludes facilitating the modified first range of shear rates;generating the fluid activation to cause the flow of the ASTF from thealternative reservoir to the piston compartment when the desiredresponse for the one or more of the STF and the ASTF includesfacilitating the modified second range of shear rates; and outputtingthe fluid activation to the reservoir injector.
 15. A non-transitorycomputer readable memory comprises: a first memory element that storesoperational instructions that, when executed by a processing module,causes the processing module to: interpret a fluid response from a setof fluid flow sensors to produce a piston velocity and a piston positionof a piston associated with a head unit device, wherein the set of fluidflow sensors are positioned proximal to the head unit device forcontrolling motion of an object, wherein the head unit device includes:shear thickening fluid (STF), wherein the STF is configured to have adecreasing viscosity in response to a first range of shear rates and anincreasing viscosity in response to a second range of shear rates,wherein the second range of shear rates are greater than the first rangeof shear rates, an alternative shear thickening fluid (ASTF), whereinthe ASTF is configured to have a decreasing viscosity in response to athird range of shear rates and an increasing viscosity in response to afourth range of shear rates, wherein the fourth range of shear rates aregreater than the third range of shear rates, a chamber, the chamberconfigured to contain a portion of the STF and a portion of the ASTF,wherein the chamber includes a piston compartment and an alternativereservoir, a reservoir injector configured within the chamber, whereinthe reservoir injector couples the piston compartment and thealternative reservoir controlling flow of the ASTF from the alternativereservoir to the piston compartment, a piston housed at least partiallyradially within the piston compartment of the chamber, the pistonconfigured to exert pressure against one or more of the STF and the ASTFin response to movement of the piston from a force applied to the pistonfrom the object, wherein the movement of the piston includes one oftraveling through the piston compartment of the chamber in an inwarddirection or traveling through the piston compartment of the chamber inan outward direction, the set of fluid flow sensors positioned proximalto the chamber, wherein the set of fluid flow sensors provide the fluidresponse from the STF, and a set of fluid manipulation emitterspositioned proximal to the chamber, wherein the set of fluidmanipulation emitters provide a fluid activation to the one or more ofthe STF and the ASTF such that one of the first range of shear rates,the second range of shear rates, a modified first range of shear rates,or a modified second range of shear rates is selected for the one ormore of STF and the ASTF within the piston compartment, wherein thefluid activation further includes controlling the reservoir injector,wherein a mixture of the STF and the ASTF is configured to have adecreasing viscosity in response to the modified first range of shearrates and an increasing viscosity in response to the modified secondrange of shear rates, wherein the modified second range of shear ratesare greater than the modified first range of shear rates; a secondmemory element that stores operational instructions that, when executedby the processing module, causes the processing module to: determine ashear force based on the piston velocity and the piston position; athird memory element that stores operational instructions that, whenexecuted by the processing module, causes the processing module to:determine a desired response for the one or more of the STF and the ASTFbased on one or more of the shear force, the piston velocity, and thepiston position; and a fourth memory element that stores operationalinstructions that, when executed by the processing module, causes theprocessing module to: activate the reservoir injector in accordance withthe desired response for the one or more of the STF and the ASTF toadjust the flow of the ASTF from the alternative reservoir to the pistoncompartment to cause selection of one of the first range of shear rates,the second range of shear rates, the modified first range of shearrates, or the modified second range of shear rates for the one or moreof STF and the ASTF within the piston compartment.
 16. Thenon-transitory computer readable memory of claim 15, wherein theprocessing module performs functions to execute the operationalinstructions stored by the first memory element to cause the processingmodule to interpret the fluid response from the set of fluid flowsensors to produce the piston velocity and the piston position of thepiston by: inputting, from one or more fluid flow sensors of the set offluid flow sensors, a set of fluid flow signals over a time range;determining the fluid response of the set of fluid flow sensors based onthe set of fluid flow signals; determining the piston velocity based onthe fluid response of the set of fluid flow sensors over the time range;and determining the piston position based on the piston velocity and areal-time reference.
 17. The non-transitory computer readable memory ofclaim 15, wherein the processing module performs functions to executethe operational instructions stored by the second memory element tocause the processing module to determine the shear force based on thepiston velocity and the piston position by one of: extracting the shearforce directly from the fluid response when one or more fluid flowsensors of the set of fluid flow sensors outputs a shear force encodedsignal; determining the shear force utilizing the piston velocity andstored data for piston velocity versus shear force for one of the STF,the ASTF, and the mixture of the STF and the ASTF; and determining theshear force utilizing the piston position and stored data for pistonposition and a status of the reservoir injector versus shear force forthe one of the STF, the ASTF, and the mixture of the STF and the ASTFwithin the chamber.
 18. The non-transitory computer readable memory ofclaim 15, wherein the processing module performs functions to executethe operational instructions stored by the third memory element to causethe processing module to determine the desired response for the one ormore of the STF and the ASTF based on one or more of the shear force,the piston velocity, and the piston position by one or more of:interpreting a request associated with modifying one or more of objectvelocity and object position; interpreting guidance from a chamberdatabase; establishing the desired response to include facilitating thesecond range of shear rates to slow down the object when detecting thatthe piston position is greater than a maximum piston position thresholdlevel; establishing the desired response to include facilitating thefirst range of shear rates to speed up the object when detecting thatthe piston position is less than a minimum piston position thresholdlevel; establishing the desired response to include facilitating thesecond range of shear rates to slow down the object when detecting thatthe piston velocity is greater than a maximum piston velocity thresholdlevel; establishing the desired response to include facilitating thefirst range of shear rates to speed up the object when detecting thatthe piston velocity is less than a minimum piston velocity thresholdlevel; establishing the desired response to include facilitating thesecond range of shear rates to slow down the object when detecting thatthe shear force is less than a minimum shear force threshold level;establishing the desired response to include facilitating the firstrange of shear rates to speed up the object when detecting that theshear force is greater than a maximum shear force threshold level;detecting an environmental condition warranting a change in viscosity ofthe STF; establishing the desired response to include the activation ofthe reservoir injector to cause flow of the ASTF from the alternativereservoir to the piston compartment when establishing the desiredresponse to include facilitating the modified first range of shearrates, wherein the modified first range of shear rates is less than thefirst range of shear rates; and establishing the desired response toinclude the activation of the reservoir injector to cause the flow ofthe ASTF from the alternative reservoir to the piston compartment whenestablishing the desired response to include facilitating the modifiedsecond range of shear rates, wherein the modified second range of shearrates is greater than the second range of shear rates.
 19. Thenon-transitory computer readable memory of claim 15, wherein theprocessing module performs functions to execute the operationalinstructions stored by the fourth memory element to cause the processingmodule to activate the reservoir injector in accordance with the desiredresponse for the one or more of the STF and the ASTF to adjust the ASTFflow from the alternative reservoir to the piston compartment by one ormore of: generating a fluid activation to cause flow of the ASTF fromthe alternative reservoir to the piston compartment when the desiredresponse for the one or more of the STF and the ASTF includesfacilitating the modified first range of shear rates; generating thefluid activation to cause the flow of the ASTF from the alternativereservoir to the piston compartment when the desired response for theone or more of the STF and the ASTF includes facilitating the modifiedsecond range of shear rates; and outputting the fluid activation to thereservoir injector.